Strongest United
by Venka le fay
Summary: The Turtles are captured and divided by the Foot Clan. Can they endure all Karai and the Shredder has in store, or will their unity crumble?
1. Chapter 1

Strongest United

I don't own TMNT in any shape or form.

* * *

Two dark orange eyes silently watched the four green silhouettes racing across the rooftops as though they had no cares in the world. The figure smirked as a snake like tongue slithered across her blood red lips.

"Okay Leo," She said more to herself than the Foot Bots that stood alongside her. "It's time you experienced how it feels to have those you love taken from you."

"So we attack Turtle-freaks, Snake-girl?" A Mutant Rhino asked. Standing alongside him was a mutant warthog.

"Yes." Karai smirked. "Remember, I want them alive; I want them to suffer slowly and painfully before I let them expire."

"He hee, so do we Boss-Lady." The Warthog crowed.

"What about the human comrades of Turtles?" Rocksteady asked. "Surely they come looking for them…"

"I'm counting on it..." Karai sneered. "I have a score to settle with O'Neil. And I want to see their Rat Master on his knees and broken before I see him dead. I have nothing against Jones, I might let him live as my play mate…before I finally take his life."

"I've had a freaky girl or two in my day," Bebop whistled. "But I have to say you the freakiest girl I ever met and that's saying a lot."

"It's time we made our move." Karai said ignoring Bebop's comments. "Follow my lead."

* * *

"Booyakasha!" Mikey cheered as he jumped through the air. Somersaulting three times and landing on the rooftop of a building. His  
actions were rewarded by a smack to the back of his head by his red masked brother.

"You want to wake up the entire town?!" Raph snarled.

"Hey…I'm just having some fun." Mikey said back. Leo rolled his eyes in irritation; he had long since given up on reminding his brothers that as ninja they were to stay silent. He also couldn't help feeling uneasy it was only a scant number of weeks ago that Karai had attacked his brother and friends. If it hadn't been for the healing hands mantra that Splinter had taught him, his brothers, Casey, and himself would have died. It was only out of desperation that he had been able to perform it as effectively as he had. Otherwise it could have taken months for him to officially master it.

"Is something wrong, Leo?" A voice asked behind him. Leo glanced to his right and noticed Donatello had come up beside him. Ever the caring ear for whatever troubled his family, Leo smiled softly in appreciation at his dark eyed brother.

"Just thinking…" Leo answered.

"About Karai?" Donnie asked. Leo's eyes widened in surprise, it was almost scary about how Donnie could read him like a book sometimes. But then again…Donnie was the one who would understand how he felt having an unrequited love of his own.

"Yeah…" Leo sighed. "It just feels like every time we get her back…we lose her again. Why can't she see that the Shredder is using her?"

"She's his trump card." Donnie let a breath come out as a hiss through the gap between his front teeth as his eyes darkened introspectively. "He wants us to believe he has all the cards in the deck, but in reality she's the only card he has to play... and a dangerous one at that. As long as he has her in his possession he has something he can use against Splinter, and currently with that mind control worm she will only believe what the Shredder wants her to believe."

"Not to mention that if he finds he can't control her any more, he'll kill her simply because she would be something he could take from Splinter." Leo sighed, finding the whole facetious cycle that the Shredder had created all the more frustrating. He was about to say more when he sensed danger close by. His head darted about as he drew his katana blade. Donnie instinctively grabbed his bo staff, his eyes also looked about for danger.

"Attack!" Karai yelled as a swarm of Foot Bots stormed forward.

"Oh no…FOOT BOTS!" Mikey yelled

"And here I thought today wouldn't have any surprises" Raph said drawing his sai and jumped into battle. Leo sliced through several Foot Bots before meeting Karai blade to blade.

"Karai…" Leo said trying to break through the control that that the Shredder held on her. "Karai, things don't have to be like this. Let us help you..."

"The only thing I want is you begging for mercy!" Karai hissed baring her snake like fangs at him.

Above the battle Rocksteady aimed a gun armed with tranq-darts and focused the scope on Raph. The Rhino smirked with triumph as his finger slowly pulled the trigger.

"Nighty-night, Freaks!" Bebop said as the first dart hit home in Raph's carotid artery. The red masked turtle reacted as though he was stung by a bee. One hand went to his neck pulling away the dart, his eyes widened and traveled to his brothers who were still battling the Foot Bots.

"Guys…" He gasped as his brain began to fog over. He saw Donnie get struck with a similar dart. The purple masked turtle dropped his bo staff before he slumped to his knees and fell to the ground. Mikey gave a gasp of surprise also before he yawned.

"Don't mind…me." Mikey yawned as his eyelids grew heavy and he fell to the ground. "I'm gonna…I'll be taking...nap." Despite his efforts Raph also succumbed to the drugs that had been entered into veins.

"Mikey, Donnie…." Leo gasped his brother's names in horror as his they fell one by one into a deep and dreamless slumber. "Raph…!" The Foot Bots descended upon his brothers like a bunch of spiders upon three helpless insects trapped in their web. Hurriedly they bound his brothers limbs before carrying them off to a van waiting below. He wanted to run to them…he wanted to cut down every single one of the robots so he can get his brothers to safety, but Karai hindered his way.

"I don't know how you managed to defeat me last time," Karai hissed. "But you won't be so lucky again! This is the day you and your brothers fall."

"Why are you doing this?!" Leo demanded as he struggled against her. He didn't want to hurt her; he wanted to reach her somehow.

"I've told you…I don't care about any of you or your miserable lives." Karai snarled. "I want to get to Splinter, he took away someone I loved dearly and I want to repay him in kind."

"Karai!" Leo said angrily. "The Shredder is lying to you! He's been lying to you your whole life!"

"Lies won't save your brothers…or you." Karai hissed ignoring Leo's words. Pushing him back she jumped away as a dart struck Leo in the neck. Leonardo staggered as the tranquilizer swiftly took effect.

~Master Splinter…Father…~ Was the last thought he had as he slumped to the rooftop, his eyes glazing over. ~Help….~

* * *

In the underground lair, Splinter's eyes opened from their trance and he stood up his breath coming in and out in hurried gasps. He knew right away something was seriously wrong, he could feel it.

"April?" He could hear Casey ask in concern from the lair.

"I sense….I sense the guys, they're in trouble." April whispered her voice panicked. She looked up as Splinter exited the dojo his expression grave.

* * *

Leo's eyes opened as the room blurred into focus. His head hurt and he was disoriented because of the tranq. Shaking his head he looked about him and found himself alone in a small metal room. His brothers were gone along with his T-phone and weapons.

He tried to keep himself calm but in reality his mind whirled about at frantic speed.

~Where am I? Where are my brothers? Are my brothers alright?~

"So how does it feel to be alone Leo?" Karai asked over an overhead speaker.

"Karai…" Leo yelled, his anger quickly becoming beyond his control. "What have you done to my brothers?"

"Nothing…at least not yet," Karai said with an air of the cat who caught the canary. "Like you, each one of them is starting to adjust to their new living quarters. I wonder how you will act while your brothers suffer in agony, all the while knowing that there is nothing you can do to help them."

"NO!" Leo roared. "Take your issues out on me…leave my brothers out of this!"

"It's out of my hands, Leo." Karai purred. "My Father wants you and your entire family eliminated and I have my orders."

"We're your family." Leo said earnestly, hoping to reach any part of Karai's mind that was fighting the mind control. "Listen to me, your true name is Hamato Miwa, your mother was named Hamato Tang Shen and your real father is Hamato Yoshi. The Shredder abducted you when you were just a baby and raised you to believe his twisted sense of reality…"

"Tell me Leo," Karai inquired ignoring Leo's words. "Which of your brothers would you say is your favorite?"

"What?" Leo asked not understanding the question.

"Of your brothers, who do you like better than the others?" Karai clarified. Leo could almost imagine the feral smirk that was crossing her face.

"I…" Leo started to answer before he closed his eyes and took a deep breath calming his already agitated mind. "I don't have a favorite, each of them mean the world to me. And no matter how many times I get angry at them for not following my orders, or irritated when they behave childishly, or even…even when they point out that I'm not listening to them or taking their suggestions into consideration. I wouldn't love them any less."

"How touching…" Karai sneered with disgust. "I guess I'll have to make a choice then..."

"Wait Karai," Leo stated hoping he could break past the control the Shredder held over the Kunoichi. "I know why you separated the four of us. As a member of the Foot Clan the Shredder taught you that respect and loyalty is only won through power, fear, and intimidation. And those who depend on others are the weak that deserve to be crushed. But the Shredder is wrong, it's because my brothers and I rely on one another that we are able to face the challenges of this world. That's where our strength is. Shredder has his followers but all of them…even you… are disposable. He doesn't understand love, companionship, or loyalty and never will because he thinks of such concepts as facile, in the end the only thing that matters to him is his anger and ideals and those will lead to his downfall. "

"You don't know what you're talking about." Karai hissed. "You're dependence on one another made you easy to capture…as your brothers fell you dropped your guard because you worried about them. You foolishly offer your very existence for their survival. Alone you are pathetic and your brothers are just as weak as you are if not more. Get comfortable Leonardo…you'll be here for a while and then we will see how reliable your so called unity actually is. "


	2. Chapter 2

Strongest United-Part 2

The Shredder eyed his prisoners from Stockman's lab. Each monitor was focused on a different cell and showed the Turtles adjusting to the living spaces they would have for the final days of their existence. Currently Raphael was throwing himself at the walls of the cell screaming incoherently about what he would do once he go out of there, and also what he would do if any harm should come to his brothers.

Donatello on the other hand was studying the walls trying to see if there was a way to get out of it. Seeing nothing the purple-masked turtle sat down by one wall and seemed to be deep in thought. Obviously calculating some way he could escape.

Michelangelo was seated on the floor in the middle of his cell, listening to something. All the while Leonardo was making some laughably passionate speeches to Karai about her true origin.

"We're your family… Listen to me, your true name is Hamato Miwa, your mother was named Hamato Tang Shen and your real father is Hamato Yoshi. The Shredder abducted you when you were just a baby and raised you to believe his twisted sense of reality…"

Shedder smirked at this passionate display, Karai only believed what he wanted her to believe which was the truth as he saw it. Splinter was the true cause of everything. The Hamato Clan killed his family, abducted him, and raised him to believe he was one of them. While Splinter's parents showed love to him and Splinter thought of him as a brother…all of it was a lie. He had heard whispers throughout his life….whispers that he didn't belong, that he wasn't one of them. And then he learned the truth and he despised his adopted family for it. Yes Karai was truly the daughter of Splinter, but Tang Shen was meant to be his …she was always meant to be his. And as much as he would have preferred a son, a daughter would suffice. She would be a weapon for him to torment and kill Splinter once and for all.

"I know why you separated the four of us. As a member of the Foot Clan the Shredder taught you that respect and loyalty is only won through power, fear, and intimidation. And those who depend on others are the weak that deserve to be crushed. But the Shredder is wrong, it's because my brothers and I rely on one another that we are able to face the challenges of this world. That's where our strength is. Shredder has his followers but all of them…even you… are disposable. He doesn't understand love, companionship, or loyalty and never will because he thinks of such concepts as facile, in the end the only thing that matters to him is his anger and ideals and those will lead to his downfall."

The statement made Shredder grit his teeth in anger. How dare that Turtle declare such garbage? Respect and loyalty were earned through power, the more powerful you were the more you could bend and control people to your will. Love and companionship were crutches for the weak, something to cling to because they felt it made them strong. But in reality such attachments only proved to be distractions.

"Stockman, which Turtle does Leonardo have connection to?" Shredder commanded as Karai entered the room with an annoyed expression on her face. Stockman looked at his readings.

"Well Mazzter…." Stockman buzzed. "There is a one way *buzz* audio feed from Donatello'zzz cell to Leonardo'zzz and *buzz* a one way feed from Leonardo'zzz to Michelangelo'zzz."

"I see…" Shredder said as he eyed the monitors. "It's time I paid a visit."

"Allow me to go, father." Karai requested.

"You will entertain the Turtles in time, daughter." Shredder growled. "But I need to do this personally."

* * *

Leonardo calmly tried to settle his breathing. He didn't know where they were or what was to happen to him or his brothers. But hopefully if he could get in contact with Splinter... let him know what was going on... There was no way of knowing how long they had been sedated - a day could have passed for all they knew. But without a doubt Splinter was likely worried sick about what had become of his sons. He was just starting to enter a meditative trance when he heard a familiar frightened gasp.

"Donnie?" He asked the room.

"Donatello, is it not?" The booming growl of the Shredder asked almost conversationally. But there was a clear threatening tone in his voice.

~Oh no…~ Was Leo's first thought. ~If the Shredder is picking on Donnie first then things were really, really bad.~

* * *

Donatello had examined every inch of the wall and didn't see any panels or anything that could break the magnetic lock on the door. He could hear Raph yelling but that didn't mean he was next door, but the racket gave him a little comfort as he didn't know where Leo and Mikey were, or even what was happening to them. He had tried calling to Raph a couple of times, but got no response. That meant the audio feed into his room was one way. Which made the situation even less comforting as Raph could be in another part of wherever they were. He could be next door, next hall over, next floor. He couldn't tell if his cell had the similar audio connection or who it connected to. He hoped it connected to any cell rooms that Leo or Mikey were in, but it could just as easily connect to an empty cell room.

With the way Raph was yelling he was likely true to form with how he would act in this situation, offering threats of beating the living snot out of their captors if he managed to free himself. Leo was likely worried about where his brothers were and what was happening to them at that moment. And at the same time, he would be keeping himself calm and collected maybe trying to meditate in an effort to reach Splinter. The brother Donnie was worried about currently was Mikey, the smaller turtle had to be frightened not knowing where his brothers were, or what was happening to them. Maybe… there was a way he could reach his brothers…if he had a one way audio feed to Leo or Mikey, then perhaps one of them had a connection to Raph.

Splinter had often sung to them in Japanese whenever they were scared, sick, or distressed. And as they grew they would sing to one another sometimes to help reassure each other. And he even knew what song he could use. Unfortunately before he can so much as hum the first note the door opened and in stormed the Shredder.

Donnie involuntarily let out a frightened gasp. At once he felt a sense of shame, knowing it only gave the Shredder the satisfaction of his fear. The Shredder was more than likely smirking underneath his metallic mask. His eyes regarded the turtle the way he might a bug to be easily crushed were it worth the effort for him to do so. The purple-masked turtle still remembered the way the Shredder had grabbed him by his bandoleer and glared at him. There was a clear look of contempt in the masked man's eyes. It didn't take a genius to understand that nothing good was going to come from Shredder appearing to him now.

"Donatello, is it not?" The Shredder's voice rang through the metallic plate on the scarred man's face. It was not a question so much as a statement that demanded an answer.

"Ye…Yes sir" Donnie answered trying to hide the fear in his voice.

"A child's answer…" Shredder observed. "I should have expected nothing less from the weakest of the Turtles." Reaching behind him the Shredder produced the young turtles bo staff. "That is probably why this pathetic excuse for a weapon chose you. Such weapons are just as weak as the ninja who wields them."

Donnie wanted to object, but what could he honestly say. He had never liked the fact the Bo Staff had chosen him. He had wished for…hoped for a weapon that truly proven to his brothers who he was as a ninja, something like the Kama sickles, or the kyoketsu shoge, the Shen Gao heck he would have accepted the manriki gusari. But none of those weapons wanted him…all of them rejected him

The Shredder regarded the bo staff a moment as though examining it, including the trigger that released the naginata blade. He showed no sign of being impressed.

"A pathetic toy that conceals a woman's blade…" Shredder growled a sigh as though he wasn't expecting anything less. "I would never train anyone if I was certain he would get a weapon like this." Donnie backpedaled as close as he could to the wall as Shredder tossed the staff, the naginata blade embedded itself in the floor.

"Now boy, demonstrate your skill." Shredder commanded. Knowing that he didn't have much choice, Donnie got up and pulled the curved spear blade out of the ground. The Shredder released his gauntlet blades as though doing so was a compliment…but the action was casual. The masked man made a stance but held a look as if the young turtle wasn't worth even this much.

Launching himself at the Shredder, Donnie spun his bo staff, trying to catch older ninja off guard as he struck. Shredder would casually evade each jab, sweep, and strike as though he saw them coming.

"Pathetic…" Shredder yawned as even evading the blows made him feel bored. "You aren't worthy of even calling yourself a Ninja!. You're movements are too cautious…too predictable…" The older man grabbed hold of Donnie's staff in his right hand. "Too weak..."Before Donnie could even react he raised his left and brought the gauntlet blades down slicing through the wooden staff like a hot knife through butter. Donnie hissed in pain and dropped the staff as it was sliced in two. The blades of the Shredder's gauntlet had also sliced into his left arm. Rivulets gushed out of the wound and down his arm; dripping to the floor. The wound wasn't fatal, but it was deep and painful. The purple masked turtle gasped a Shredder grabbed him by the chin and hoisted him into the air.

* * *

Leo listened to the fight in grave concern…the things the Shredder was saying. It made his heart break…and it made him regret all the times he and Raph had teased Donatello for being a weaker fighter.

"Pathetic…" Shredder yawned as though board with the small battle. "You aren't worthy of even calling yourself a Ninja!"

"That's not true!' Leo yelled wanting to hope his brother could hear him. "Donnie, don't listen to him!"

"You're movements are too cautious…too predictable…too weak!" Shredder said. Donnie let out a hiss of pain and let out another gasp. Leo didn't know what was happening; all he was certain of was that Donnie was being hurt.

"Leave him alone, Shredder." Leo yelled. "I don't care what you do to me…but don't hurt my brothers!"

"Know this…if you were part of the Foot Clan," The Shredder snarled. "You would have been made into an Ashigaru-sha so you could be used as target practice. There is no way a warrior as weak and pathetic as you would even have served any use." There was another gasp and a loud thud before there was the sound of footsteps leaving the room and the cell door slamming shut behind them.

"Are you alright?" Leo asked. "If you can hear me Donnie, please say something…"

* * *

Mikey couldn't hear what Leo was hearing, but he could hear Leo calling out.

"That's not true!' Leo yelled. "Donnie, don't listen to him!"

"Leo, dude what's happening with Donnie?" Mikey yelled. "Hey D, if you can hear me I don't know who's with ya or what their saying. But Leo says don't listen…whatever they are saying they are B.S'ing ya."

"Leave him alone, Shredder." Leo continued as if he didn't hear. "I don't care what you do to me…but don't hurt my brothers!"

"Shredder's with Donnie?!" Mikey gasped. There was silence for a time; he didn't hear anything except for Leo inhaling a horrified breath. "Hey' D, say something dude..."

* * *

Raph had stopped yelling and pounding at the walls. Currently he prowled around his prison like a caged animal. He didn't like being separated from his brothers and he liked not knowing what was happening to them even less."

"Leo, dude what's happening with Donnie?" He heard Mikey yell.

"Mikey?" He asked glad to hear his youngest brother's voice at the very least. But he grew concerned over whatever could be befalling his immediate younger brother.

"Hey D, if you can hear me I don't know who is with ya or what their saying. But Leo says don't listen…whatever they are saying they are B.S'ing ya." Mikey yelled. Raph didn't say anything. He didn't want say something and miss something important. But somehow Mikey was able to hear Leo and he was able to hear Mikey. And from the sound of things Leo was able to hear or see what is happening to Donnie.

"I swear if any of my brothers are harmed…" Raph growled under his breath until he heard Mikey say something that caused his cold blooded veins to ice over.

"Shredder's with Donnie?!" Raph's eyes were wild with fear, concern, and anger. If the Shredder was in the same room with Donnie...he didn't even want to imagine what has happening.

* * *

"Know this…if you were part of the Foot Clan," The Shredder snarled. "You would have been made into an Ashigaru-sha so you could be used as target practice. There is no way a warrior as weak and pathetic as you would even have served any use." With those words Shredder tossed the purple masked turtle aside. Donnie gasped as he was sent flying across the room. His shell hit the wall with a painful jarring thud, causing him to collapse onto the floor in a heap. The Shredder just turned and left closing the door behind him. Donnie groaned as he got up, his eyes going to the broken remains of the bo staff where it lay before they traveled to the wound on his left arm.

The cut into the flesh and muscle was deep - almost to the bone. He could feel his blood pressure dropping with the amount of blood he had lost. He wasn't likely to bleed to death, however the wound was more likely to become infected if not tended to. Getting to his knees Donnie half crawled half dragged himself to the broken weapon. Unraveling the white cloth binding from one of the two pieces he wrapped it around the wound as a makeshift bandage.

It was the best he could do given the circumstances. Crawling back to the wall he listened for his brothers…he couldn't hear Raph which likely meant that he had exhausted himself with beating walls or his audio feed was cut off. And he couldn't tell if anything was going on with the others.

He could feel his shoulders shake; he refused to let the Shredder's words get to him. But he felt more vulnerable without his brothers by his side. Softly he started to sing and prayed they would hear him.

urunda hitomi no oku ni

kawaranu kimi no sugata

doko made sekai wa tsuzuku no

todaeta hibi no kotoba

(In the depths of my teared-up eyes

Is your unchanging figure

"Where will the world continue to?"

Are the words from the days have ceased)

* * *

Leo let out a soft sigh as he heard Donnie singing. His brother was trying to reach out to them…uniting their voices in song. He answered by joining his brothers voice hoping Raph or Mikey could hear him at the very least.

kogoeru arashi no yoru mo

mada minu kimi e tsuzuku

oshiete umi wataru kaze

inori wa toki o koeru

(Even on the freezing, stormy nights

I continue going towards the unseen you

Teach me, the ocean-crossing winds,

The prayers that surpass time)

* * *

A smile slowly crossed Mikey's face as he heard Leo's voice pick up a chorus of song. Just hearing his eldest brother's voice singing made him feel comforted and he also answered the song.

kasunda chihei no mukou ni

nemureru hoshi no souwa

akenai yoru wa nai yo to

ano hi no tsumi ga warau

(Beyond the hazy horizon

There's an episode of sleeping stars

"There's no unending night,"

The sin from that day laughs)

* * *

Raphael listened to Mikey singing, his heart skipping a beat. He was just so glad to hear Mikey, and knew it was likely the others were singing as well. He didn't care if joining in with his brothers made him look sappy, the best way to show the Shredder that they wouldn't be broken so easily was to express it.

furueru kimi o dakiyose

todokanu kokuu o aogu

kikoeru yami terasu kane

kimi e to michi wa tooku

(I embrace the trembling you

And gaze up at the unreachable void

I hear the bell that illuminates the darkness

The road to you is far)

* * *

Donnie looked up a smile spread across his face. He could only hear Raph's voice in singing in harmony with his, but he knew in his heart that Mikey and Leo's voices were also joined in song. He could feel their presence with him as he continued to sing.

kogoeru arashi no yoru mo

mada minu kimi e tsuzuku

oshiete umi wataru kaze

inori wa toki o koeru

(Even on the freezing, stormy nights

I continue going towards the unseen you

Teach me, the ocean-crossing winds,

The prayers that surpass time)

* * *

Karai watched as their voices harmonized together. Her eyes narrowed in irritation, she didn't expect them to be broken so soon. But the fact that they could happily sing as though they were seated around a campfire enraged her. They should be suffering…they should be worried about one another. Not singing.

~This isn't right.~A voice inside her said as Leo's statement echoed in her head.

"He doesn't understand love, companionship, or loyalty and never will because he thinks of such concepts as facile, in the end the only thing that matters to him is his anger and ideals and those will lead to his downfall."

~But Splinter needs suffer for his crimes!~Karai insisted to herself. ~He took my mother from me…it's only fair his sons are taken from him.~ As the Turtles continued to sing to one another as a means of comfort a tear slid unbidden down her cheek. She hurriedly brushed it away as her father entered the control room and watched the singing turtles with disgust.

"This nonsense is just a false comfort." He growled. "It makes them believe they are strong, but soon their songs won't be enough to save them. Their facile connection to one another makes them weak." Karai smirked and nodded in agreement as she watched the turtles finish their song.

kogoeru arashi no yoru mo

mada minu kimi e tsuzuku

oshiete umi wataru kaze

inori wa toki o koeru

(Even on the freezing, stormy nights

I continue going towards the unseen you

Teach me, the ocean-crossing winds,

The prayers that surpass time)

inori wa toki o koeru

(The prayers that surpass time)


	3. Chapter 3

Strongest United Part 3

 _A/N Hi guys, in case anyone was wondering about the song Donnie was singing. The song is called You Raise Me Up, this was the Japanese version that was used with the Romeo and Juliet anime. I used it because I thought it would be an appropriate song for the Turtles to sing together to help comfort each other._

A day had passed since the Turtles had gone missing. While it didn't take many guesses who had abducted them. April and Casey forced themselves to attend school as though things were normal.

When Splinter had left the dojo, April had known he was aware that his sons were in trouble. Unfortunately at that moment she had received a call from her father asking her to come home because she still had homework to do. April tried to convince him that most of it was completed and that she only had a humanities report to do, but that wasn't due for another month. Kirby O'Neil however still insisted it was high time she returned home because it was a school night. Splinter had agreed that April should listen to her father and return.

Reluctantly April and Casey complied with heavy hearts and left the lair. When they returned to her apartment, April at once informed her father of what had happened to the Turtles. Kirby had been concerned since the Turtles had proven themselves as caring friends to his daughter, and he knew they mattered to her.

"We know who has 'em, Mr. O'Neil." Casey said as he punched his hand into his fist. "And where they are likely being kept, Red and I would bust in and out faster than you can say 'Goongala'. "

"Absolutely not!" Mr. O'Neil firmly said. "I'm sorry, I know you are worried about your friends…but you two need to have faith that they will be able to get out of this situation on their own. They are trained ninja after all."

"Come on, Casey. It's late…let me walk you to the door." April said as she grabbed the dark haired boy's wrist pulled him out the door after her.

"What gives, April?" Casey asked as they reached street level. "I thought your Dad knew you were being trained by Splinter?"

"He knows Splinter is training me…but he believes that I'm only learning self-defense." April said

"Huh?" Casey asked in confusion.

"Ever since he was abducted by the Kraang…My Dad he…" April explained. "He's always been protective, and after the Turtles finally rescued him…he became almost obsessively protective. He would barely let me out of the house even for school because he was so afraid that the Kraang would abduct me if I wasn't in his sight. If he learned I was being taught how to be a kunoichi…he…he…I don't know what he'd do, but I'm certain he wouldn't approve. He'd probably never let me see Donnie or the Turtles again."

As much as the two teens knew they should have faith in their friend's abilities, they couldn't help feeling like they were forsaking them. The school day seemed to drag by every time they glanced at the clock…it felt like time had slowed to a snail's pace. April was so distracted by what must be happening to her friends, particularly whenever her head spasmed in pain whenever she could sense their distress. And the horror of the flashes she would see before her eyes…bloody strips of green skin slowly being pulled away, volts of electricity pulsing through a green form as they screamed in agony, the strike of a whip against a shelled back. April grit her teeth to keep from screaming out herself.

When her 3rd period US history teacher asked her if she needed to go to the nurse's office because of the headaches she seemed to be having, April gratefully accepted. However instead of going to the nurses office to go lie down…April went to one of the girls toilets and softly cried. Pressing balls of toilet paper against her mouth to muffle her sobs as tears rolled down her face so that she wouldn't attract suspicion or concern from the other girls at school. Her friends…her pseudo-brothers…her family…they were suffering she could do nothing to prevent it.

Breathing in through her nose she tried to calm her thoughts in the way Splinter had taught her. Glancing at her watch she took note what time it was and saw it was nearly time for her english class. Wiping away her tears with the ball of toilet paper she finally left the stall and rejoined her classmates. Even if she had made use of excuse note for the school health center, the school would call to inform her father that she had missed one or more classes. Or they would call to ask if it was okay that she be given some medication for her headache, and that would be the last thing she needed right now.

~Hang on guys…!~ April said to the ether as she returned to her life as a normal high school student.

* * *

Michelangelo's stomach growled as he rolled over onto his plastron. He felt so hungry and it felt like it had been days since he's eaten last. And on top of that he was bored…ever since the sing along that Donnie had started nothing had happened. Occasionally his brothers and himself would talk to one another, it had been rather quick for them to figure out they could use the one way audio their advantage by passing messages to one another.

"Think of it like that game we played as children." Leo suggested. "Telephone…the one where we would sit in a circle and pass a verbal message between us."

"I loved that game." Mikey had informed. "Hey D…or Raph…Leo says we're going to use the audio system like the game Telephone." It was still was disheartening to not hear his brother respond, and it felt even weirder that no one from the Foot Clan was stopping them from communicating with one another. If the Foot Clan's goal was to break them…wouldn't allowing them to communicate even in this awkward fashion be considered something to give them hope. Or maybe they were allowing it because they were hoping one of them would let something slip…such as him for instance…some form of information the Foot can use to their advantage.

"So hungry…want pizza." Mikey groaned as he rolled over on to his shell.

"Hang in there guys." Leo said trying to be encouraging. Though there was a tone in his voice that did suggest that he was unsure about their predicament. "I know we all want to be free to return home. But we need to hold out for however long we will be here."

"Hey guys…" Mikey conveyed. "Leo says we need to be chill and hold on for however long we will be here."

"Hey guys…Leo says we need to be chill and hold on for however long we will be here." Raph heard Mikey say through the audio feed.

"Great…" Raph grumbled though he was not surprised. "We're already holding on as hard as we can, Mikey." In the meantime Raph's patience worn extremely thin. All that was happening was that they were being kept in isolation. The only way to communicate with his bros was the through the one way audio system that had been set up. From what they had been able to figure out through communication through one another was that Mikey could hear Leo…Leo could hear Donnie, Donnie could hear him, and he can hear Mikey. Unfortunately messages ended up being lost in translation from Turtle to Turtle. And at times they needed to be careful what they said as they didn't know if the Foot Clan was actually paying them any attention.

It didn't take a brain as big as Donnie's to know why the Foot Clan had been largely ignoring them for the past hour or so…they wanted the Turtles to be off their guard. If they had a regular schedule as to who would be tormented then they would learn to anticipate the beatings. By having indeterminate lengths of time was one tactic to get them to break…and the lack of food and water also added to the stress. Raph doubted that the Shredder would simply let them starve to death…at least not this early on.

Donnie leading them in a chorus of "You Raise Me Up" had certainly help keep up their spirits, though they had all unconsciously agreed to save the singing for when things were starting to go bad. There was no sense in losing their voices just for the sake of comfort.

And yet Raph couldn't help feel a sense of tension whenever he heard the Foot Bots or even any of the Foot Clan's hench mutants walk by his cell. Parted of him itched for a fight…he wanted Fishface to show his slimy mug so he could have something to vent on instead of the same boring walls. And the rest of him feared they were on their way to attack his brothers..

"Oh No! Get Away!" Mikey yelled before he screamed in protest. Raph stiffened in horror.

"MIKEY!" Raph yelled his baby brother's name.

"Strap him down!" Karai ordered coldly and without remorse.

"Karai…it's me…your brother." Mikey pleaded.

"I don't have any brothers…" Karai spat. "Least of all a freakish turtle like you."

"You better pray I don't find a way out of here, Karai!" Raph snarled as he began to beat the wall with his fists. "If you harm Mikey…Splinter's daughter or not, you are as good as dead to me. And I'm….I'm going to kill you myself!"

* * *

"Leo…Karai's with Mikey!" Donnie yelled when he heard Raph's statement. Standing up he hissed in pain and brought his hand to the bandage around his arm. He had recently changed the bandage with the remaining piece of cloth that had been wrapped around his bo staff…but with no other way to keep the injury clean it would fester with infection within days.

He had known that it was only a matter of time before one of them suffered…but Mikey being the chosen target of Karai was distressing. While he was glad he wasn't able to hear or see what was being it did nothing to change the fact that he knew Mikey was being tortured. Raph screaming his brother's name in rage and anguish did little to alleviate the stress he was feeling.

"MIKEY!" Raph screamed over the audio feed. Donnie bit his bottom lip to fight back the distress he was beginning to feel. He couldn't let Shredder or the rest of the Foot Clan get the impression that they were starting to break. They had to hang on…they had to be strong until they found a way to escape or Splinter came for them.

"Be strong Mikey," He whispered a prayer under his breath.

* * *

"Leo…Karai's with Mikey!"

Leo glanced up from an attempted meditation as Donnie conveyed this news to him. He didn't know what was happening to Mikey in that moment nor did he want to. But he also didn't want to stand by and let whatever it was happen.

"Karai!" He called out. "Karai, I know you can hear me! Please listen…You don't need to do this, if you want to punish someone for your mutation, than take your issues out on me." He didn't receive an answer which didn't surprise him. But all the same he wanted to reach the girl he knew she had been once. The innocent little girl who had rested nestled in his arms while she playfully pulled on his mask tails while Tang Shen graciously served them sliced cucumber in her tiny apartment.

"Please Karai," Leo pleaded knowing his words were falling on deaf ears. "If your Mother were alive she would not want you to do this."

* * *

Mikey was alert the moment the door to the cell opened and three Foot Bots bounded in, giving their trademark electronic monkey like screeches.

"Oh no! Get away!" Mikey screamed as the Kraang built robot ninja ran at him. The orange masked ninja immediately ran about the cell, unfortunately the small room left him with minimal space to escape and he found himself grabbed and restrained as two more Foot Bots entered the room with an examination table and Karai following in close behind.

"Strap him down!" Karai coldly ordered as the Foot Bots drag Mikey to the table and pull the leather straps tight across his body before it was tipped backward ward so he lay flat on the table

"Karai…it's me…your brother." Mikey stated beseechingly as he looked up into Karai's face as though hoping that would trigger a reaction or memory. Unfortunately Karai's composure told him that she was far too schooled in all the Shredder had forced upon her to believe him.

"I don't have any brothers…" Karai spat vehemently. "Least of all a freakish turtle like you."

"Karai! Karai, I know you can hear me! Please listen…You don't need to do this, if you want to punish someone for your mutation, than take your issues out on me." The two of them could hear Leo call over the audio feed. Karai however chose to ignore Leo's words as she drew a small and very sharp knife from her belt.

"I suppose you're wondering what I plan on doing…let's just say I will get to see what you look like without skin?" Karai said as she handed the knife to one of the Foot Bots. "Perhaps once I'm done with that I'll have Steranko crack open your shell to see what's inside. Start peeling his right hand."

At once the Foot Bot made an incision on the middle finger of Mikey's right hand before slowly peeling the yellowish green skin away from the digit and forming a pile on his plastron. Mikey screamed in pain has his flesh was slowly being flayed away in bloody strips.

"Please Karai, if your Mother were alive she would not want you to do this." Leo gave a plea over the speaker. Karai jerked in surprise…the words were hardly more than a whisper, but the way Leo said them sounded like he had met her mother. That was impossible…her mother died before the Turtles were even eggs.

"Leo's right Karai…" Mikey painfully said. "This is going to sound ultra cray cray, but my bros and I met this girl named Renet who was a Time Master from the future. While we were with her we…."

"Spare me your make believe story," Karai scoffed. "A girl from the future who is a Time Master, sounds like you've been reading too many comic books."

"I know it sounds crazy, but we really did go back in time and met your mom." Mikey said before crying out as another strip of bloody skin was peeled away from his hand. "She was a sweet and kind hearted woman, who dearly loved and cared for you and only wanted what she felt, was best for her only child. We really wished we could have saved her, we wanted to."

"Why should I believe you?!" Karai snarled. "Your master is the one who took her life!"

"No it wasn't Sensei…D and I found her body," Mikey said as a tear rolled down his face. "She had."

"Enough! I don't want hear such garbage!" Karai angrily said as he back handed Mikey across the face. "It's bad enough my mother is dead! I don't need to hear made up stories about her too, least of all from any of you." She turned her attention to the Foot Bot that was flaying Mikey's flesh.

"Finish skinning his right hand and do the same with his left." She said as she left the other Foot Bots following close behind. "Report to me when you are done!"


	4. Chapter 4

The mere hour or so felt like days for Raph as he heard his youngest brother scream while the skin of his hands was slowly being peeled away. And what was worse was that Karai had come back into the room and ordered that the right half of Mikey's face be flayed as well. Raph secretly felt glad he had not been given any food, because he was sure he would have thrown it up at the thought of what was being done to Mikey. This was inhuman…even for a monster like Shredder.

Beatings…electric shocks…burnt flesh…that was the normal sort of torture a person could expect. Heck even being placed in an airtight container with only enough air to leave you at the point of asphyxia was not out of the realm of possibilities.

But skinning sweet and innocent Mikey like a grape, that was beyond monstrous…Raph didn't even know if there was a term for it. And what was even worse is that Karai sounded unaffected by the horror she was inflicting. She didn't enjoy it, but she didn't hate it…she just sounded indifferent to it. It was as though she didn't care that there was a humanoid turtle strapped to a table being flayed alive. And while it's only his hands and half of his face that was being peeled it was still evil.

Raph looked up with concern when he heard Mikey's cries of pain cease. That could mean two things: Mikey had passed out or the Foot Bot had completed his grisly task and left Mikey to his misery. That was at least until the torture began again.

That's when he heard it...a small whimper at first which crescendoed into wails as Mikey sobbed. Raph wished he could comfort his younger brother. Provided that they could did escape...

If they ever escaped, Mikey would be unable to physically do anything for himself without suffering serious pain as the peeled areas scabbed over. And the new skin that grew back…would it be normal flesh or would it just be a massive scar?

An opening in one of the walls opened and a tray of food with a pitcher of water was pushed in. Before he could consider running for the opening the small metal door lowered and sealed itself. The food on the tray was a bowl of fried rice with some old low quality meat. Possibly spam, more than likely two days past its use by date. As part of the fried rice were various vegetables, all of which were cooked to death to the point where they didn't have any discernable substance. Even the rice itself looked like it was recently defrosted leftovers. Hunger overcame him as he devoured the meal. Finding it saltier than it should have been which forced him to gulp down the water. It was only when the tray was empty that the concern the food could be poisoned finally occurred to him.

Painfully Raph clutched his stomach as he felt it roil and churn painfully in his guts as though his stomach was trying to digest rocks and broken glass.

"You guys…you guys didn't eat the food did you." Mikey groaned sounding just as bad if not worse. Though that could have been just from the pain of his injuries and not the food, after all Mikey had an iron stomach…he could eat anything.

"Donnie, Leo…ah…whatever you do…erk…Don't eat what they give you…" Raph gasped with pain as he curled into a fetal position on the floor of his cell as his guts continue to roil.

* * *

Donnie painfully ignored the sound of his stomach growling. He didn't need to be told that the food wasn't fit for consumption, he would rather eat a heaping bowl of worms and algae then run the risk of food poisoning. He could tell just by a cursory glance at the meat that it was rancid. The only thing that looked passable was the water and even then he wasn't sure he should trust it.

Truth was even if it did seem edible…Donnie knew nothing the Shredder or the Foot Clan gave them was to be trusted.

"Leo," Donnie called out over the audio feed. "Whatever they give you…don't eat it. From the sound of things, Raph has food poisoning…I don't know about Mikey."

* * *

"Leo, whatever they give you…don't eat it. From the sound of things, Raph has food poisoning…I don't know about Mikey."

That was all Leo needed to hear. As much as his stomach demanded food, he had feared the Foot would try something like this. While he was concerned over what was happening to Mikey and Raph…he needed to focus his mind and reach Splinter. Closing his eyes he began to take slow deep breaths as sent his mind out into the ether…his mind reaching for the bright star that was Splinter.

"Sensei…" He whispered into the void. ~Sensei…Father…~

~My son…~ Splinter answered. There were notes of concern with tones of relief in his spirit voice.

~Are you well?~

~I am Sensei.~ Leonardo admitted. ~As for the others I'm less certain...~

~Where are you?~ Splinter asked.

~I'm in a cell…I believe we are in Stockman's lab, there is nothing to indicate where we are.~ Leo explained. ~I don't know where the others are being held, but it sounds like they are individual cells too…the only one I'm able to hear at all is Donnie. The Foot Clan gave some food some minutes ago…Donnie and I haven't eaten it…but from what Donnie's told me it sounds like Raph has and is suffering from food poisoning."

~Stay strong my son…" Splinter answered ~I am getting in touch with the Mutanimals…We will be there when we can. ~

Leo felt his mental connection to Splinter break as he suddenly heard Karai's voice come over the audio feed from Donnie's room.

"So…I see you didn't appreciate the meal that was delivered to you." Karai said before there was the clatter of the rice bowl skidding across the room. "I would have thought you would have been grateful for my father's mercy. He simply could have let the four of you starve to death."

There was no response from Donnie though Leo was sure that his quiet, intellectual brother had some choice statements for the Shredder's so called mercy.

"Since you're choosing to be defiant, I guess I'll tell the Foot Bots not to bother feeding you." Karai nonchalantly commented. "In the meantime...restrain him." There was the familiar sound of electronic screeching from the Foot Bots as they obeyed Karai's commands."

"Why are you doing this?!" Donnie demanded.

"Oh, no reason really," Karai said with a thinly veiled smirk. "You Turtles mean nothing to me…the person I am interested in is Splinter. But I do owe Leonardo some pay back for defeating me last we met. However he would take any sort of physical pain and call it being noble…I call it being stupid. And yet…" Donnie made a sharp intake of breath. "Knowing the three of you are suffering, and there is nothing he can do about it…I can see what sort of emotions that must be crossing his face right now. Frustration…anger…maybe…helplessness…I heard the pathetic way he was begging me to leave poor little Michelangelo alone and take his frustrations out on him instead. I'm sure he'll be pounding the walls when he hears you screaming."

"LEAVE HIM ALONE, KARAI!" Leo screamed. He knew it was useless…she wouldn't hear him. He leaned his head against the wall. A wave of defeat swept of him as tears began gather in his eyes. He grit his teeth angrily, he didn't want to show weakness. If he gave into a grief and frustration, he would advertise to the Shredder that he had won.

This was madness…all of this was madness. This was the madness of a man who held no honor and tainted his soul further with every attempt to avenge his perceived slight.

"Those who live without honor…shall die without honor." Leo whispered to himself to try and maintain the conviction that they would all get out alive. Karai continued to gloat to Donnie, but Leo said nothing in protest…the only person who could hear him was Mikey. And while he didn't know what had been done to the orange-masked turtle, he could sense whatever it was…it was bad…really bad.

Leo suddenly looked up at the speaker with a gasp, his eyes widening in horror as the sound of a whip crack echoed through the room followed by Donnie's screams of pain.


	5. Chapter 5

Donnie glanced up at the speaker that was piping the audio feed from Raph's cell worriedly. Raphael was still groaning painfully. He had thrown up some minutes ago, which was good. But he still would be uncomfortable for a while.

Sighing Donnie glanced at the bowl of fried rice that's still sat untouched on its tray. His stomach growled in displeasure, desiring nourishment, but the Purple-Masked Turtle made no move for the offered meal. While it was not likely the food was poisoned, the Shredder also wasn't likely to waste decent food on his prisoners.

Settling down, Donnie closed his eyes as he tried to tune out the sound of Raph's groans by softly counting from one to one million to himself. He knew Leo had to be trying to contact Splinter through meditation, or at least attempting to. And he was certain Splinter was doing whatever he could to save them.

His eyes suddenly opened when he heard the hiss of the door in Raph's cell.

"Awww…is the Turtle suffering from a tummy ache?" Fishface mockingly crooned.

"Go…get caught…by a hook!" Raph growled angrily. Rahzar laughed with some amusement at this statement.

Donnie didn't get to hear much more as the door to his own cell opened and Karai stepped into the room with a couple of Foot Bots close behind her. The Kunoichi eyed Donnie as though she was looking forward to tearing into him, possibly because she knew Leo would be hearing everything. Her eyes then turned to the bowl of untouched food and pitcher of water. She wasn't surprised to find it untouched…but they still narrowed in disappointment.

"So…I see you didn't appreciate meal that was delivered to you." Karai said before she kicked the rice bowl, sending it clattering across the room. Old rice, out of date scrambled eggs and meat, as well as cooked to death vegetables scattered across the floor as the bowl rolled to a stop. The water pitcher had also turned over and spilled all over the floor. "I would have thought you would have been grateful for my father's mercy. He simply could have let the four of you starve to death."

Donnie said nothing in response. He had no real love or trust for Karai. And the times she had attacked, poisoned, and nearly killed April as well as the rest of his family did nothing to improve his views towards her. However he also knew she was Splinter's lost daughter…and that she was being forced to be this way against her will. She was being controlled by a worm that the Shredder was using to force her to believe his skewed views of the truth. And nothing they could say would get her to believe it.

Leo had discovered with Raph that the mind worms react to intense emotion. But Shredder and Stockman had doubtlessly taken care of that flaw…and even if they had not, Karai was better schooled at controlling her emotions then Raph. It would be nothing short of miracle if they ever freed her.

"Since you're choosing to be defiant, I guess I'll tell the Foot Bots not to bother feeding you." Karai nonchalantly commented. "In the meantime…restrain him." The two Foot Bots obediently screeched as they climbed the walls like pair of over sized spiders. Instinctively the brainy turtle ran for it…he didn't know what sort of torture the Kunoichi had planned…but he wasn't going to give her the satisfaction of believing he would go down without a fight. He had taken her down before and at that time he had been prepared to kill the dark haired girl if it absolutely had to come to that. But that was before he had learned that Karai was actually Miwa and before she had been mutated.

He didn't know how much of a chance he stood against her now, enemy or not, she was still technically his sister. And she was also a shape shifting mutant snake and could just as easily kill him. What was worse was that he was unarmed. The Shredder had sliced his bo staff in two. Still if he could get past her…maybe just maybe he could find where Raph and Mikey…maybe Leo were being held prisoner.

Karai however anticipated that he would try to escape and morphed into her snake form. She hissed maliciously as her long tail wrapped around his body and hoisted him into the air. The Foot Bots had reached the ceiling of the room. One screeched extending its arm it grabbed Donnie by the wrist. Karai loosened her hold as the Foot Bot reeled him in like a fish on a line. The Purple-Masked Turtle clawed at the hand around his wrist trying to pry himself free when the second Foot Bot jumped to the other side of the room. It extended its arm grabbing hold of Donnie's other wrist. Two floor tiles extended upward and clamped around his legs like shackles suspending him in a spread eagle position. Seeing Donnie was properly restrained, Karai returned to her human form, a triumphant smirk on her face.

"Why are you doing this?!" Donnie demanded as two small holes opened in the walls drenching him with freezing cold water that had a salty smell to it like…sea water. The wound on his arm burned painfully as the salty water soaked through and ran over the bandage.

"Oh, no reason really," Karai said coyly as she watched the water continue to dowse the restrained Turtle in front of her. In the next room they could hear Raph yell out in pain as he was electrocuted over over again while both Fishface and Rahzar laughed with delight at his suffering.

"You Turtles mean nothing to me…the person I am interested in is Splinter. But I do owe Leonardo some pay back for defeating me last we met. However he would take any sort of physical pain and call it being noble…I call it being stupid. And yet…"

Karai rushed forward with near inhuman speed grabbing Donnie by his mask tails. Donnie gave an involuntary intake of breath as his head was wrenched backwards. Karai's free hand morphed into a snake and was placed dangerously close to his exposed throat. Donnie at once went rigid, his mahogany brown eyes focused at the snake headed limb that was poised close to his jugular. Waiting…daring him to make a sudden move, any sort of excuse to stick it's fangs into his exposed flesh.

"...knowing the three of you are suffering, and there is nothing he can do about it…" Karai continued. "I can see what sort of emotions must be crossing his face right now. Frustration…anger…maybe…helplessness…I heard the pathetic way he was begging me to leave poor little Michelangelo alone and take his frustrations out on him instead. I'm sure he'll be pounding the walls when he hears you screaming."

She drew away as though sufficiently finding that he was aware that she held his life in her hands, and she could extinguish him from existence at any time she pleased. The water had finished drenching Donnie's body, and the chill of the water had made his skin tighten up. His arm still seared painfully, Donnie grit his teeth and tried to focus his mind. Karai wanted to see him break; she wanted to see them all suffer painfully so that Splinter could watch them each breath their last.

"And what's even more pathetic is you think you have a chance with that April girl." Karai mocked as she continued to gloat. "Why else would you, of all the Turtles appear alone when she was in danger?" Donnie tensed…he knew she was trying to rile him up.

~Tune her out, Donatello.~ He thought mentally to himself. ~Just tune her out…~

"Don't think you're anything special just because happened to take me down that one time. You just happened to get lucky, if the Kraang hadn't interfered and your brothers hadn't shown up, I would have eliminated O'Neil and you...for good."

~0 + 1=1, 1+1=2, 1+2=3, 2+3=5~ Donnie mentally recited the equations for the Fibonacci sequence to himself as a means of distracting himself from Karai's taunts. ~3+5=8, 5+8=13, 8+13=~

"The last we encountered each other…I poisoned O'Neil first. I knew the first place her father would take her was to you Turtles to see what you could do to save her. Leo naturally would have stayed with you to help monitor the process, while Raphael and Michelangelo would have gone to rescue Jones.

~89+144=233, 144+233=377, 233+377=610~

"That way when you and Leo rushed off to save your brothers…You would be too distracted with O'Neil to realize you and Leonardo were wading through my poison before it was too late.~

~2,584+4,181=6765, 4,181+6,765=…..10,946, 6,765+10,946=17…tune her out…17,711, 10,946+17,711=~

"Your feelings for her, only makes you nothing but a liability to your family, even more so than your weak and pathetic skills as a ninja."

~10,946+17,711= Tune….Her….OUT!~

"There is no way a human girl could ever have feelings for an ugly, pathetic…mutant…freak…like you!" Donnie screwed his eyes closed fighting back the tears that were starting to spring to his eyes.

"I'm…sorry…" He softly said.

Whatever Karai was expecting, it wasn't that statement. She expected to have the Turtle scream, maybe attempt to lash out at her. But to say he was sorry…what sort of person says that to their enemy, particularly the son of the man who killed her mother.

"Sorry…sorry for what?" Karai demanded.

"Sorry this is the sort of person the Shredder made you into." Donnie answered.

"How dare you?!" Karai angrily snarled. "If you are going to tell me that same lie Michelangelo told me about going into the past and meeting my mother. Then I don't want to hear it…"

"It wasn't a lie…I know it's hard to believe…" Donnie answered sincerely. "And if someone told me this…I'd find it a challenge to believe myself. But what Michelangelo said about us going back in time that was all true."

"Lies...you'd lie about anyone!" Karai hissed. "This whole make-believe story is just something you Turtles cooked up to desecrate my mother's memory."

"I'm not known for my skills in making false stories." Donnie said. "Any of my brothers would tell you I'm a bad liar…I couldn't even tell a believable lie to save my life."

"I've heard enough…." Karai snarled. "Perhaps you've been planning this story so much you actually believe it to be true. That's how you are able to tell it so easily. And even if this so called story was true…which it isn't…why didn't any of you bother to save my mother?"

"We wanted to…" Donnie said. "We wanted to save Tang Shen…and if we could, my brothers and I would have. But then we never would exist."

"Typical…" Karai said rolling her eyes in anger. "You say you wanted to save my mother, but all you cared about was your meaningless existence."

"If the four of us didn't exist, then the Kraang would have taken over New York and the world with no one to oppose them." Donnie answered. "I don't know what sort of life you've had with the Shredder..."

"I don't need your false sympathy!" Karai said. "And I don't need this stupid story. I've had enough of you Turtles insulting my mother's memory"

"I'm not asking you to believe me…but I am asking you to at least hear me." Donnie implored.

"I am tired of listening…." Karai sneered. "Tiger Claw, you may enter." Tiger Claw at once entered the room, a black whip in hand.

"Then think back…" Donnie pleaded as Tiger Claw stepped up in front of him. He knew from the sight of that cruel whip that he would be in a lot of pain. "Think back to your earliest memories…"

"You may start." Karai answered not paying Donatello's words any mind. At once the mutant Tiger threw his arm back before letting the lash fly forward striking the Turtle's plastron with a sharp crack. Donnie gave a gasp of pain…the water that he had been doused with had dried on his flesh and shell, but it still left a salty residue on his skin. With each strike the blood that seeped from his wounds and the tears that trickled from his eyes mixed together causing the salt to mix into the lacerations the whip left behind. Again, again, and again the whip thrashed at his body, his arms, his legs, even his neck and face had met the sting of the lash at least a couple times.

Donnie was barely conscious when it was finally over. He didn't hear Tiger Claw tell the Foot Bots to release him. Until he felt himself drop to the salty wet floor below. Painfully Donnie got to his knees, his eyes turning up towards the mutant tiger. Tiger Claw in turn glowered down at him before he turned and started for the door.

"Wait!" Donnie said painfully. "Can I…can I ask…you…a question?" Tiger Claw did not respond, but he did pause to hear what the beaten Turtle wished to ask.

"Why are you…" Donnie began. "What do you get…out of working with the Foot Clan?"

Tiger Claw still didn't answer, but he had a stance that indicated that he wanted the Turtle to explain his question further.

"You aren't like the…rest of the Foot Clan." Donnie pointed out. "So I wanted to know if there was some…something you are getting specifically out of working for them?"

"Why should my involvement concern you?" Tiger Claw snarled.

"Because you believe in honor…" Donnie answered. "Surely you must see there is no honor here…"

"Enough!" Tiger Claw roared. "You have asked your question, I have answered. I do not need to explain my reasons to a cub!" With that Tiger Claw left the room leaving Donatello to suffer his pain alone. However Donnie's words had left an impact the mutant tiger could not yet fathom.

* * *

Shredder's eyes narrowed angrily as he watched the video feed from Donatello's cell. The boy had clearly had some effect on Karai…he didn't succeed in breaking the hold that the mind worm had on her. But it was still too close for comfort...he couldn't allow the boy to have a second chance.

Simply going in and killing him was too easy…letting him live was too risky. His eyes slowly traveled to Leonardo's cell. The blue masked Turtle was kneeling on the ground in a meditative pose…he wasn't in a trance at least not in the way he was earlier. This form of meditation was more of a way to calm anxiety and stress…

"Stockman, take Karai to her room…" Shredder Ordered. "Keep an eye on her."

"Yezz, Mazzzzter!"Stockman buzzed and flew off.

"Steranko, Zeck" Shredder called.

"The Rocksteady and the comrade Bebop are here." Rocksteady answered with a salute.

"Escort Leonardo to visit his brothers," Shredder instructed "Let him see what has been done to them."

"Your wish is our command, Shread-man." Bebop answered with a mock salute as the mutant warthog and rhino left the room.

"Bradford." Shredder called as he unsheathed the blades from one of his gauntlets. "Bring Donatello…to me!"


	6. Chapter 6

"I thought the day would never end," Casey grumbled as they left Roosevelt High School. April said nothing as she walked beside him, her blue eyes holding a distant haunted look in their depths. "You okay, Red?" Casey asked in concern.

"I'm just worried about the guys," April answered.

"Don't worry Red," Casey said encouragingly. "We'll get 'em back. And we'll hit that asshole Shredder where it hurts."

"I just hope things aren't as bad as I fear they are." April sighed.

It was now Casey's turn to remain quiet. While he wasn't the most observant of people in existence, he still could pick up hints, tonal shifts, and subtle implications. During that time, the Turtles had gone on their three-day hiking trip he had hoped to have some quality time with April, such as being able to get to know her in ways that he never would be able to with the Turtles around the farm house, particularly Donnie. To know how her lips and her body tasted…maybe even going far enough to be her first...if she was interested in going that far.

However, the three days didn't go as he had hoped they would. During the time they were left alone at the farmhouse, April mostly kept to herself. He would spar with her when they trained and they joined each other for meals. But other than that...she would be out walking by herself in the woods or she'd be in her room. And occasionally she would look out towards the woods as though expecting the Turtles to return…or rather a certain Turtle to return.

While Donnie had moved more from being a rival for April's affections to more of a platonic friend, Casey knew there was more than what was on the surface. And even a squash brain like him could see April had made a choice among her suitors. She hadn't officially said her choice and at times, it felt like she was second guessing herself. Either because she was too afraid to hurt the one who would be friend-zoned, or because she was afraid of her choice being the wrong one for her. But there was a certainty that she had made a decision. He wanted to confront her and demand who she liked more...but he knew from personal experience that would on distress her more.

"Let's go grab my gear and check with Splinter," Casey suggested after a moment. "Maybe he's gotten in contact with Leo through that meditation mumbo-jumbo they like doing."

"Perhaps," April said. "Maybe he's contacted, Mr. Kurtzman. We're going to need muscle like

Slash and Leatherhead to help save them."

* * *

Splinter paced the Dojo worriedly. He had contacted Kurtzman and the Mutanimals, and they said they were on their way. However, the contact he had with Leonardo moments before distressed him. From what his eldest son had told him, the four of them were being kept apart from one another, and Leonardo was only able to have some contact with Donatello. While the blue-masked turtle was not being harmed,...at least not yet he knew bad things were being done to his brothers. Even when his first son had suddenly dropped the connection he had with his father, Splinter could still feel a sense of overwhelming distress and worry come from his son's mind along with a flash of Donatello's face. A clear sign that his intelligent, gentle hearted son was being harmed at that moment or was about to be.

"Pizza bread!" The voice of Pigeon Pete filled the lair. Splinter immediately arrived at the dojo entrance to greet his guests. The mutant pigeon was merrily pecking at a discarded pizza crust of one of Michelangelo's pizzas. The other three mutants immediately turned their attention to the rat master.

"We came as soon as we heard," Rockwell stated.

"Thank you for your swift arrival my friends." Splinter greeted "As you all are aware…Shredder has taken my sons as his prisoners. And they are suffering at his hands at this very moment."

"I owe Shredder more than a few bruises for what he did to me and the Doc," Slash answered as he clenched his hands around the handle of his morning star. "And then some for Raphael."

"Any harm done to Michelangelo will be answered in kind, by me!" Leatherhead growled.

"We must move swiftly…I fear my son's time grows short." Splinter agreed.

"We're with you, Splinter!" Casey crowed as he entered the lair with his vigilante attire. A hockey mask spray painted to resemble a skull was covered his face. April walked in behind him, her eyes clearly showing a determination that she won't let her friends die without a fight.

Splinter appraised the two teens apprehensively. April's skills had improved greatly since he trained her...but she was still not ready to undergo her ninja trial. A task he had seen his sons perform and pass to earn their status as ninja. While Casey was a wild spirit who wanted to make a difference, but didn't always consider his action before he did them, a trait that reminded Splinter of Oroku Saki when he had been young. But they also were valued allies and had helped his son many times in their missions. The elder rat finally nodded

"Let's Go!" Pete squawked. "Operation: Turtle Rescue...Move out!"

* * *

Leo paced back and forth in agitation. He could hear Donnie counting to himself which was a sign he was trying to calm down, but every five or so numbers would be punctuated by Donnie snorting back mucus or wipe away tears. Pausing in his pacing Leo placed his hand against the wall. It was the closest point he could get to his brother. Resting his forehead against it the was, he wished he could will the wall to disappear so that he could comfort his brother. What bothered him more is that he didn't know what was being done...what had been done to his other brothers. If they were willing to whip and beat Donnie like a dog, what more are these monsters doing to Raph and Mikey. His team was falling apart piece by piece and if they weren't rescued soon, they were not likely to survive for much longer.

There was the buzz followed by the hiss of a door and a the gruff sounding snarl of Rahzar was the only thing Leo could hear.

"The master has need of one of you turtles," Rahzar's voice was a craggy whisper. "And you're the lucky one he picked. You can come along quietly…you can make it fun for struggle."

Leo's eyes widened in alarm. They were taking Donnie to the Shredder!

"You're going to play things my way? Is that it?" Rahzar cackled. "I'm okay with that!"

There was a sudden roar from Rahzar, Leo didn't know what was happening, but he knew is was a struggle. A struggle where Donnie was at a clear disadvantage. Even if Donnie hasn't been starved and severely beaten, Rahzar would have still proven to be a challenge.

"Let me, go!" Donnie yelled."Let go!" Donnie suddenly yelled as it sounded like he was being shaken back and forth before he was thrown into a wall with a sickening sounding crack The only sound was the sound of Rahzar's heavy breathing, and a pain filled groan from Donnie before he heard the mutant dog howl in triumph as he gave his breathy laugh.

"When Master Shredder's done with ya, maybe he'd let me have you as a tasty snack."

"Donnie…" Leo whispered in mortified horror. Donnie was being taken to the Shredder, he didn't know what reasons the madman had for taking his brother. But whatever they were, they couldn't be good.

The door to his cell opened as Bebop entered the room with Rocksteady close behind. Leonardo at once got into a fighting stance. He may have been unarmed, and stressed. But he was not going to just stand down and allow himself to be treated like an animal for their sick pleasure.

"Looky here, the Turtle thinks he can lick the two of us!" Bebop crowed.

"Da…" The Russian Rino answered. "But we not here for the fighting...we take Turtle to see his brothers." Leo blinked and started to drop his stance, but not his guard. They were here to take him to his brothers...but what for. Wasn't the purpose of keeping them apart to break them and their sense of unity? Having him reunite with his brothers would only strengthen it.

"Now be a good boy," Bebop crooned condescendingly as he held out a small cloth sack that wasn't unlike a pillow case.. " And put this bag over ya head. We don't need you rememberizing where your bro's are."

Leo reluctantly took the bag and looked at it. He didn't trust it and this whole visit thing seemed too easy. What sort of game was the Shredder playing?

"I want to see Donnie," Leo commanded.

"Nyet," Rocksteady snorted. "That be unpossible. The Shredder wants to have word with him"

"More like slit his throat!" Leo shot back.

"You'll see brain-boy eventually," Bebop said with a derisive laugh. "Though I can't guarantee what condition he'd be in, I would wager it to be ...some assembly required."

"Right, Comrade Bebop" Rocksteady laughed in agreement. "Maybe he'll be missing a few of the pieces."

Leo grit his teeth as the two mutants were joking about what Donnie could be going through right now. If he had his swords he could swear he would gut them right then and there.

He sighed through his nose as he struggled to keep his rage in check. He was being told he was going to see Raph and Mikey he had to focus on that and have faith that Donnie would be able to endure whatever awaited him. Looking looked back at the bag that was innocently being held in his hands. He didn't like this and he knew he was not going to like what he was going to find. At least he'd be able to inform his other brothers of his conversation with Splinter and of where Donnie had been taken. That would at least give them some hope or the drive to escape. Apprehensively he placed the bag over his head. The bag was stuffy and made breathing a little difficult, but not impossible. He felt Bebop come up behind him and lead him out of the room.

While the blue-masked Turtle couldn't see where he was being led, Leo still let his mind track where they were going so he had a mental map of where things were so he could work backwards if he had to. They had taken a left from whatever cell he had been removed from, and then a right...then another left...another left...a right and then finally a stop.

Bebop let go of him and seemed to walk away while Rocksteady fumbled with the door release to whatever cell they had stopped at. Leo risked the chance to peek out from beneath the bag for a few seconds while the two goons were distracted. Quickly scanning the area to the door hiss open, Leo immediately dropped the bag back over his eyes. From what he was able to glean, he could safely assess that they were in Stockman's lab. This could help him develop an escape plan, now it was only a matter of getting his brothers out.

"You have visitor, Turtle Freak," Rocksteady said before he pushed Leonardo into the room. Leo felt the bag being torn off his head as he stumbled forward."Enjoy the family reunion!" The blue-masked Turtle glared at the two mutants as the door closed. His eyes quickly darted around the room to assess his surrounding when they suddenly landed on green figure lying prone on the ground. His ocean blue eyes widened in horror.

* * *

Raph grimaced in pain as his eyes slowly opened. He could feel a shudder pass through his shelled frame as he slowly began to sit up.

"Oh man, I've got to remember to ask Donnie about his secret," Raph quipped to himself with bitter sarcasm. "How can he even stand getting electrocuted on a daily basis?"

Rahzar and Fishface had walked in and had started taunting him.

"Awww…is the Turtle suffering from a tummy ache?" Fishface mockingly crooned.

"Go…get caught…by a hook!" Raph growled angrily. Rahzar laughed with some amusement at this statement. Raphael didn't care why they were here or what they wanted. All he wanted was that they just did what they came for and leave. He wasn't in the mood to deal with them.

"You think yourself clever, turtle?!" Fishface hissed angrily at Raph's statement.

"No…" Raph snarled. "I think I might be needing some fish oil for the indigestion i'm feeling. Just do what you are here for and leave." He quickly regretted that bravado as two mousers marched into the room. The bipedal robots meowed as metal tentacles snaked out of their open mouths and wrapped around his body. He didn't resist as his stomach was still roiling with displeasure whenever he moved.

"Stockman rigged this up just for you." Fishface said, "You should be careful what you say...or you may wind up as Bolinos de Bacalhau." Raph screamed as the volts passed through his body, over and over and over again. The two thugs laughing as they watched Raph scream out in pain until finally he fell into the bliss of unconsciousness.

Even now his muscles felt numb from all the shocks he had undertaken. The areas around where the metal coils had been were covered in second degree burns. Blisters had formed on the skin of his arms, legs, and neck while the areas of his shell had been discolored. His breath was coming in short uneven gasps as his heart beat so rapidly he felt it would bust out of his plastron.

"MIKEY!"

He thought he could hear Leo's voice. But that couldn't be...the only person he could hear was Mikey.

"Mikey, hang on. Oh, gods, what did they...why?"

"Leo…?" Mikey softly said. There was pain in his tone and a tiredness, as though he wished everything would just end

"Mikey…" Leo said with a small sob in his voice as though he was trying to keep himself from breaking. "I'm so sorry."

"Leo…" Mikey soothed. "It's okay...I'll heal...just seeing you and having you here makes me feel so much better already." Leo said something that sounded hardly more than a whisper, probably so the Foot wouldn't overhear it.

"Have you heard anything about D or Raph?" Mikey asked.

"I don't know anything about Raph," Leo answered though he seemed distressed. "But D...he was, oh gods. He was beaten...and then before I was brought to see you Rahzar came and took him to the Shredder. I don't know anything beyond that."

Mikey whimpered in fear for whatever fate had befallen his immediate older brother.

"Donnie's strong, Mikey" Leo said calmly though he sounded like he was trying to convince himself of this fact. "He'll be just fine." Raph mentally cursed his weakness. He didn't like the thought of his genius younger brother suffering at the hands of that monster. Or any of his brothers for that matter

~Just hang on, Don.~ He mentally tried to convey to his brother as he closed his eyes and returned to unconsciousness.


	7. Chapter 7

"MIKEY!" Leo shouts his brothers name as he rushed over to the smaller turtle. And what he sees makes him want to cry and throw up at the same time. He knew bad things were happening to Mikey...had happened to him...but this...

The whole left side of Mikey's face was a raw bloody sore. The yellowish green skin had all been peeled away. Both his right and left hand were the same way. How could any person do this? How could any sane person consciously do this to someone as innocent as his youngest brother?

"Mikey, hang on." Leo says as he gathered the childish turtle into his arms so that the unpeeled side of Mikey's head rested against his plastron. "Oh gods, what did they...why?" A tear slowly fell down Leo's cheek as he continues to cradle his baby brother against him. Mikey's eyes slowly opened as he gaze up at his older brother. Their light blue depth have lost that gleam that always seemed to look like they were smiling. Instead they were dulled by the pain he was feeling both physically and emotionally.

"Leo…?" Mikey softly said a clear note of pain and exhaustion in his voice.

"Mikey…" Leo said with a small sob as he tightened his arms around his youngest brother. He wanted to break down and cry right there...cry for Mikey, cry for Donnie, cry for all of them. His brothers were being forced to suffer because of him, and now he was forced to witness what had been done to them. "I'm so sorry."

"Leo…" Mikey soothed as he tried to smile up at his older brother reassuringly, but the raw side of his face gave it more of the resemblance of a pain filled grimace. "It's okay...I'll heal...just seeing you and having you here makes me feel so much better already."

Leo curled his body closer to his brother, he didn't want the Shredder to anyone else to overhear him. He knew this would prevent Raph from hearing the news about Splinter...but he possibly would be able to talk to Raph next, so he would have to convey the message in person.

"Mikey, I need to trust that won't breathe a word of what I am going tell you." Leo softly whispered, loud enough for Mikey to hear, but too soft for any of the audio feeds to pick up. "I got in contact with Splinter, he said that he has contacted the Mutanimals and they on their way."

Leo noticed a bit of the old mikey, briefly appear in the sky blue orbs that serve as his younger brother's eyes. It was a sign of would be coming for them, they would be saved. Leo couldn't help offer a smile of his own.

"Have you heard anything about D or Raph?" Mikey asked hopefully. The smile on Leo's face fades at that question. In his mind could still hear the sound of a whip as it sliced through the air with a sharp crack. Hearing Donnie giving a shrill but raspy strangled cry of pain as the lash struck him over and over and over. For Leo the whole event had been like nails on on a blackboard, painful to hear. It was bad enough to know his brothers were suffering without being forced to listen to the event. He remember leaning his forehead against the wall as he fought back tears. One fist punctuating his words as it beat against the metal wall of his cell. "Stop it…" He had whimpered. He didn't bother screaming out in protest, that would have solved nothing more than show the Shredder he had succeed in breaking them. "Stop it...please. Donnie *small sob* i'm sorry."

"I don't know anything about Raph," Leo answered as an overwhelmed looked crossed his face. "But D...he was, oh gods. He was beaten...and then before I was brought to see you. Rahzar came and took him to the Shredder. I don't know anything beyond that." The look on Mikey's face was as if his brother had informed him Ice Cream Kitty had melted. Leo couldn't blame his brother for being distraught at this. Donnie and Mikey were fairly close finding companionship in just being the younger boys of the family.

"Donnie's strong, Mikey" Leo said calmly said trying to reassure his brother's fears, "He'll be just fine." The leader-in-blue didn't want to let on that he was extremely worried about what was happening. Leo would openly admit that while he had teased Donnie as being a weak fighter in the past. He could still describe his second brother hundreds of ways, but terms such as weak and and useless would not have been one of them. And yet against someone like the Shredder, Donnie at his best would still have been at an extreme disadvantage. He wanted to have faith in Donnie's abilities, but the odds were not stacked in his favor. Mikey nodded in agreement though he also understood that things did not bode well.

"Leo, want to know what would make me really feel better?" Mikey softly said as he curled as close as he could against his eldest brother. "I liked it when we were all singing together earlier, could you sing for me right now?" Leo gave a small nod and prayed his voice could spread some hope and comfort to Raph and if possibly Donnie, before he softly began to sing.

 _When the waves are crashing down_

 _Pulling you to sorrow_

 _I will sail you back to shore_

 _When there are no more heroes_

 _Over under, near or far_

 _I'll be right beside you_

 _Standing here with open arms_

 _When there are no more heroes_

 _And through it all_

 _And through it all_

 _When you're tired and you stumble I will carry you_

 _When starlight falls, my love will guide you home_

 _You'll never be alone_

 _When there are no more heroes_

 _It was you who showed me how_

 _Brought me back to glory_

 _Through hopelessness and darkest days_

 _It was breath you gave me_

 _And through it all_

 _And through it all_

 _When you're tired and you stumble I will carry you_

 _When starlight falls, my love will guide you home_

 _You'll never be alone_

 _When there are no more heroes_

* * *

Consciousness didn't return easily to the hapless mutant turtle. The first thing he registered was pain, both from the lacerations caused by the whip and from the bruises and other injuries he received from Rahzar. Everything hurt and felt light headed both from hunger and from blood loss. His eyelids felt like they had been sealed shut with staples.

He had remembered being released after Tiger Claw had finished beating him. While Donatello was glad the torment was finally over, he also felt distressed by it too. He knew his brothers were in the same building and Leo had heard the whole thing, but he couldn't help feeling incredibly alone. He wanted his brother's to be there...to draw strength from. To feel the comfort of his brothers arms around him, to let him know he wasn't alone. To remind him that no matter what happened,they were still there for him and each other. Fighting back the emotions he started to count to himself, all the while the middle finger of his right hand drew out the strokes for the Kanji character for 'faith' over and over again to the point where one would believe that it had been permanently etched into the concrete floor.

That's when Rahzar entered the room. "The master has need of one of you turtles," Rahzar's growled, his long tongue licking over his bony teeth. "And you're the lucky one he picked. You can come along quietly or...you can make it fun for me and struggle."

Donnie instantly got to his feet and moved into a defensive stance. He may not have his bo staff, but he at least knew how Rahzar fought. He was swift, but he was also savage and aggressive. Perhaps he could get past the wolf like mutant if he was able to stun him long enough. And even if he couldn't escape on his own, there was no way he was just going to obediently allow himself to be led to the Shredder.

Rahzar gave out a loud barking laugh in amusement over the scrawny turtles action.

"You're going to play things my way, is that it?" Rahzar answered with a feral grin. "I'm okay with that!" With a roar the former martial artist launched himself at the turtle. Donnie dodged out of the way of the mutant dogs path and quickly had to dodge again as Rahzar recovered himself and charged again.

Unfortunately Donnie miscalculated how far he would have to dodge to avoid Rahzar. Rahzar seized the moment by raking his clawed fingers up Donnie's arm. The purple-masked turtle yelped in pain as the makeshift cloth bandage he had wrapped around his arm blossomed with red before it sluffed away. The long boney claws had torn through the wound Donnie had received from the Shredder causing it to bleed anew. Donnie's hand instinctively put pressure to staunch the bleeding on the wound which stung painfully. While Donnie was momentarily distracted by the reopened injury, Rahzar's hand clamped around the Turtle's leg and forcefully pulled him causing him to fall over. Donnie cried out in pain as he landed on his wounded arm. The unbearable ache that spread throughout his nervous system causing the wounded Turtle to feel slightly nauseous and dull headed. Rahzar's seized Donnie's shell into his large jaws like an oversized tennis ball, dagger like teeth painfully threatened to punch holes into the his carapace.

"Let me go! Let go!" Donnie yelled out as he attempted to pry open Rahzar's jaws. Instead Rahzar shook him back and forth like a ragdoll before tossing him into the closest wall with a hard thud. The purple-masked terrapin groaned as he felt his brain go numb...and then finally blackness.

The next thing he registered was the sound of voices. The deep growl of the Shredder's voice, the snarl of Rahzazar, even the slithery hiss of fishface. They hadn't noticed he was starting to regain consciousness as of yet which was good. So long as they thought he was unconscious, they were likely to leave him alone.

No such luck unfortunately as he heard the sound of Fishface's leg gyros before he heard the giant mutant fish yell.

"Time to wake up, Turtle!" Before one of his robotic legs struck him in the chest. Donnie let out a gasp of pain as his eyes tore open. Blearily he looked about the room he had been placed. He was the room where they had fought Raph, Rockwell, and Slash after they had been brainwashed by those mind worms. Donnie's wrists were shackled over head by steel cables that seemed to coming out of the mouths of two mousers what had clamped themselves to the rafters overhead.

"Leave us." Shredder commanded. Both Fishface and Dogpound left the room all the while idly talking about what they Shredder intended to do with the turtle. As soon as they were out of earshot the Shredder's hand shot forward and grabbed a rough hold of Donatello's chin. Donnie could feel bruises begin to form where the insane human's hands were gripping his face.

"You are playing a very dangerous game, Donatello." The Masked Man snarled "I don't know what circumstances led you and your brothers to appear in Japan all those years ago. But I will not allow you to interfere as the four of you did back then."

Donnie didn't respond or retort to the Shredder's comments. He wanted to tell the Shredder to his face that no one interfered, they were only making history the way it was supposed to be. But he didn't dare.

"It would be so easy to end you right now." The Shredder stated, his grip becoming surprisingly harder. "One move and your life will be over. However, you are beneath me and not worthy of dying by my hand. But I have other plans for you…" Pulling away from Donatello, he pressed the button on a small remote an arc of electricity traveled down the cables wrapped around Donnie wrists causing him to scream out in pain as several dozen volts of electricity coursed through his body.

* * *

Karai angrily kicked her bedroom door. Her father had sent her to her room with no explanation. And it was that sniveling insect Stockman, who had delivered the order to her. She had wanted to storm to her father and demand an explanation, but Bradford had told her that the Shredder was busy tormenting Donatello and didn't wish to be disturbed.

This made her even more upset as she felt she had every right to watch them suffer. But also knew annoying her father would not win her any favors. Sitting on the bed she scowled at her reflection in the mirror. She liked to imagine she would see her mother in her features, but she couldn't even remember her mother's face. She had only been a few months old when her mother had been killed...no murdered by Hamato Yoshi in a fit of jealous rage.

" _I'm...sorry."_ Donatello's words filled her mind. _"Sorry this is the sort of person the Shredder made you into."_ And what was worse was how sincere he had been when he said it. He had looked into her eyes and said that he was sorry for her because of who she was. What did did he mean, she was perfectly fine with who she was. No one made her into anything, her father trained her as a Kunoichi, but it was her choice to be one so she could avenge her mother.

 _"Please Karai, if your Mother were alive she would not want you to do this!"_ Leo had shouted over the audio feed between his cell and Michelanglo's.

 _"She was a sweet and kind hearted woman,"_ Michelangelo also had said sincerely. " _Who dearly loved and cared for you and only wanted what she felt, was best for her only child. We really wished we could have saved her, we wanted to."_ How could they act like they knew her. This whole story about time travel was ridiculous, they were making it up to insult her mother's memory.

" _I'm...sorry...Sorry this is the sort of person the Shredder made you into."_

 _"We're your family."_ Another fabricated story from Leo. _"Listen to me, your true name is Hamato Miwa, your mother was named Hamato Tang Shen and your real father is Hamato Yoshi. The Shredder abducted you when you were just a baby and raised you to believe his twisted sense of reality…"_

What was with the Turtles dictating that her true father was the man who had heartlessly slaughtered her mother years ago? And her father didn't kidnap her, he rescued her, he loved and cared for her. He had trained her so that she could get justice for her mother's death.

" _I'm...sorry...Sorry this is the sort of person the Shredder made you into."_

Why did that pathetic turtle's words bother her so much? He couldn't possibly know what he was talking about. It was absurd for him to consciously feel any sort of remorse for her, he never had a mother who was taken from him. All knew was the pet store where he was hatched.

" _Shredder…"_ Leo said as he surprisingly struggled against the poison that had seeped through his flesh. " _Used some kind of brain worm on you."_

Another pathetic lie...why did these turtles insist that she was being forced against her will? No one was forcing her to do anything or be anything, least of all her father.

" _I'm...sorry...Sorry this is the sort of person the Shredder made you into."_

" _I'm...sorry...Sorry this is the sort of person the Shredder made you into."_

" _I'm...sorry...Sorry this is the sort of person the Shredder made you into."_

 _"I'm not asking you to believe me…but I am asking you to at least hear me."_

Karai grit her teeth as Donatello's words continued to pulse in her through her brain. And what was that last statement about...not asking her to believe, but to listen to him. What is the point of listening if she wasn't required to believe? It just didn't make any sense...

 _"Then think back…think back to your earliest memories…"_

Sighing through her nose in disgust, Karai had flopped onto her back and glared up at the ceiling before she closed her eyes. Slowly she cycled through the memories she had.

Leonardo defeating her venom defeating her with that strange spiritual power he somehow possessed.

Her father attempting to slay Splinter, only for the rat to escape with the help from his sons.

Attempting to slay April O'Neil only for Donatello to show up alone. A stupid sentimental act on his part as it advertized a means to his downfall.

Leo insisting her father was lying to her and he would kill her if she went after his family again.

Leo betraying her…

Bringing that kraang robot to her father.

Being summoned to New York from Japan.

Undergoing her ninja trial earning her title as a kunoichi.

Her father introducing her to Bradford and Xever during one of his trips to the New York branch of the Foot Clan.

" _Leo, no!"_ A sudden memory of Donatello yelling...she didn't remember that happening in all the times she'd known the Turtles.

Her father beginning her training.

Her father falling to his knees in front of the stone lantern where her mother had placed her to protect her from harm His face burnt and disfigured forever by the fire that would eat away at her mother's body until all that was left was ash. Tenderly he gathered her tiny body into his hands as she cried...calling out for her mother. Longing for the security of her mother's arms. "You'll be mine to care for now...little one. I will call you Karai."

" _Your name is Miwa."_ Leo's voice shouted in her mind. Karai's forehead wrinkled in confusion. Why would her father name her Karai at that moment in time...didn't she already have a name for her.

" _Leo, no!"_ Donnie shouted again. " _I'm sorry...I know you want to save her."_

"Save me, why would he want to save me?" Karai asked herself unconsciously.

She could see the tails of a mask, a blue mask. She was being cradled in someone's arms. Someone with green skin. She could see her puggy arms reach out and pull on the mask tails lightly wanting to pull off the band of blue fabric.. The green skinned person smiles down at her, but the smile turns to a grimace of discomfort as she pulls harder on the mask tales.

Glancing around her, she could see three other green figures. A gruff looking one with a red mask sitting on the counter, a tall one with a purple mask stands close to her mother. Then there was a funny one with an orange mask hungrily biting the small prep table. The one who had entertained her with that silly dance when the green beings approached them.

"It can't be…" Karai mentally said to herself as she recognized the Turtles. But why were they...how did...there was no possible way they could have been in Japan when she had been an infant.

" _I was raised in Fukukoka."_ Her mother had said conversationally as she prepared a snack for the four mutants. " _But my grandfather is Chinese. I moved here to be closer to Yoshi."_

"To be closer to Yoshi…?" Karai gasped as a searing pain filled her head. She tried holding on to the memory, to see what it was trying to tell her. To catch a glimpse of her mother's face. To hear her mother's voice. Something was trying to surpress the memory, to prevent her from seeing it. But the harder she held on the more the pain increased until it became to painful. When she let go of the memory it was like it had been locked away never to be seen again. All that was left was a blank void in its all nothingness.

There had to be another memory, something that could help her. Something that could help clear the confusion that filled her mind.

" _Leo, no!"_ She heard Donatello cryptically yell in the darkness. Focusing she tried to find that moment, perhaps it would tell her something. Her eyes opened as she found herself laying underneath a stone garden lantern. The last she remembered she had been safe and asleep in her mother's arms. Where was her mother...she wanted her mother. She wanted to feel the security of her mother's heartbeat. There was also an odd smell, the smell of smoke, the smell of fire.

" _Tang Shen_!" Michelangelo yelled out in alarm.

" _Shen, wait_!" Raph also yelled as he tried to stop her mother from running into the building.

" _Whoa_!" Michelangelo exclaimed as the entrance to the dojo collapsed.

" _We have to get in there!_ " Leo hurriedly protested, when he noticed where her mother had placed her. He had heard her cries and gently scooped her up into his arms. " _Shhh…_ " He soothed as he started to move away. " _It will be alright, little Miwa. I'll make sure you'll be where you belong_." There was a gasp before Donatello yelled out.

" _Leo, no_!" The purple-masked exclaimed. " _I'm sorry...I know you want to save her..."_

" _We can't just leave her, Donnie. You know what the Shredder would do to her,_ " Leo shot back in protest. " _What he would make her into! She deserves to be with her true father...our Sensei. This is the only way to make things as they should have been._ "

" _I wish thing could be different, but…_ " Donatello showed Leo his t-phone and the image on it. The images of the four of them and the backdrop of their lair kitchen was also slowly fading from existence into a flat grey nothingness " _She must be raised by the Shredder, even if...even if it means she must become our enemy for a time._ " Leo looked torn, he knew his brother spoke the truth but it was a truth he didn't want to hear. Raph suddenly let out a horrified gasp as his fingers became transparent and started to fade into nothing.

"I'm turning into a ghost!" Mikey cried out in alarm as he also began to disappear.

" _But…_ " Leo said torn between hiding the infant in his arms and what his brother was telling him. " _She...she should be with her father._ "

" _I know it sounds selfish, but please understand_ " Donnie answered solemnly. " _If we save her, we will be forsaking Karai, Master Splinter, and everyone else we will help and befriend in the future. Sensei would never have gone to the pet store in New York, we would never have been mutated, leaving the world to be taken over by the Kraang. Perhaps there is a way to help free her from the Shedder and maybe restore her to human for good...but not this night._ "

Lep looked about him once more before he reluctantly Leo placed back underneath the lantern.

" _Were through!_ " Raphael yelled.

" _Let's save, Sensei._ " Leo said as he ran towards the door open door to the flaming building brothers following close behind him. Karai blinked as insecurity caused her to cry out once more. Mere moments passed by until Oroku Saki staggered out of the burning building, severely burned and disfigured. Hearing her cries he fell to his knees and gathered her tiny body into his arms.

" _You'll be mine to care for now...little one._ " He said his voice a pain and grief filled rasp. " _I will call you Karai._ "

Karai's eyes opened wide as she shot up into a sitting position. Her head suddenly swam with dizziness as her stomach roiled with nausea as she brought her hand to her mouth she hurriedly looked about her for waste paper basket, something anything. Pitching forward she spewed forth bile and other matter onto her bed room floor. Clutching her head she closed her eyes and breathed a few minutes as the body settled itself following the sudden wave of sickness. When she finally settled, she opened her eyes and glanced down at the puddle of vomit.

To her horror she could make out something alive and moving. Something that looked like a big, fat, ugly worm. Disgusted she quickly crushed the nasty thing, killing it instantly. Her confused brain trying to process why that creature would have been inside her body.

" _Shredder…Used some kind of brain worm on you."_ Leo's voice filled her mind. She couldn't believe it, her father wouldn't do that to her would he? Her head pained her as suppressed memories bubbled to the surface of her mind. While whatever force that the worm had inflicted upon her had certainly weakened. But there was still something there and because of it she didn't know which memories were real, and which ones were fabrications of the truth.

Morphing into her half mutant form, she gazed at her reflection. Her eyes a slitted dark green as her skill became bone china white and covered with smooth scales. Shredder could not be trusted, the Turtles could not be trusted. All that mattered was that her mother was avenged, even if she had to kill them all.


	8. Chapter 8

"So what are we going to do once we find the guys?" Casey asked as he drove the Party Wagon down the street towards the Shredder's lair.

"That will be determined once we have them," Rockwell stated where he sat on the floor of the party wagon close to Splinter, Leatherhead, and Slash. "Until then we have to hope they are able to hold on until we get there."

Master Splinter was sitting quietly with his eyes closed. The calmness he was exuding only belying the emotional turmoil he felt. He had been able to have contact with Leonardo only briefly, but it was still enough to let him know that horrible thing were being done to his sons….his children. He had to prepare himself for what he would find.

April sat in the cab beside Casey, sensing for the Turtles as they got closer to the Shredder's lair she gasped as she felt a surge of distress by one of her friends. A flash of Donnie's face appeared followed by what looked like a big ugly worm. The cuttlefish like tentacles opening savagely as though they were reaching out to grab their newest meal.

"Donnie!" She gasped aloud her eyes widened in a. The outburst immediately caught Splinter's attention.

"What is it April?" he asked in concern.

"I'm not sure…" April said as her mind tried to process the images she just saw. "But I think Donnie is in serious danger."

* * *

Donatello let out a small groan of pain as he struggled to enjoy the brief respite he currently had. Everything hurt as was forced to continually kneel with his hands held over his head. He could still feel the pulses of electricity that spread throughout his body courtesy of the Shredder. When the Shredder grew bored and left to go see to Karai, he allowed Fishface, Rahzar, and Stockman to have their fun with him.

Some of the assaults were physical with kicks from Fishface's robot legs to scratches from Rahzar's claws. Stockman took pleasure in taunting Donnie for his predicament.

"So much for the so-called "Smart One"," Stockman would crow. "How are you *buzz* going to think your way out of this one?" Other times he would hold pieces of food out to him, such as a slice of pizza, a sandwich, or a Choco-log bar.

"You hungry Turtle?" Stockman tauntingly would ask as he would hold the food item close to Donnie's face and then move it away when Donnie looked as though he was going to try and grab it. And then he would deliberately vomit stomach acid onto the food item devouring it whole while Donnie watched. The growl of his stomach painfully reminding him that he hadn't eaten anything in the last day and a half.

Then when Rocksteady and Bebop returned from whatever they were doing they had their fun tormenting him as well. It felt like there was hardly an inch of his body that wasn't bloodied, burnt, broken, or bruised.

For the time being, they had left to attend to their own business and tasks which Tigerclaw alone to guard the mutant turtle. Donnie closed his eyes to get what rest he could, though he wondered what sort of plans the Shredder had for him. The tech-savvy turtle didn't know what sort of plan the Shredder had in store for him. But this seemed like overkill for whatever it was. Why couldn't he just get it over with and send him back to his cell?

At that moment, Donnie jaw was grabbed by a large hand. Not roughly, but not gently either. The masked-terrapin didn't need to make many guesses as to who it was. After all, everyone else had gotten their amusement out of him, why shouldn't Tigerclaw.

The mutant tiger forced Donatello's mouth open with a hard squeeze upon his jaw bone before he felt the rim of a plastic bottle against his lips and water entered his mouth. The water was cold, clean, and refreshing against a dry throat that was raw from his screaming in pain. Unfortunately, he gulped down the liquid too quickly causing him to cough up some of it before he nearly drowned himself. Instinctively Tigerclaw drew away the bottle and slapped Donnie's back a couple times to help clear out the young turtles lungs.

"Drink it slowly, little one." Tigerclaw snarled.

"Why?" Donnie asked between coughs.

"Why did you ask me that question earlier?" Tigerclaw asked in return.

"Because…" Donnie rasped before Tigerclaw tipped the water bottle against the turtles lips once more. Donnie took a slow measured swallow of the liquid in his mouth and then spoke. "Because, I was genuinely interested in knowing, Master Splinter once said it's better to understand your enemy than to blindly fight them." Tigerclaw was silent in his response. His single remaining eye watching for any sign of manipulation, but there was none. The boy was being completely sincere.

"There may be some truth to that," Tigerclaw answered as he got up from where he was crouched and disposed of the water bottle before he returned to stand guard.

"Thank you…for the water," Donnie answered. Tigerclaw stiffened slightly the simple phrase of "thank you". He was used to being commanded, ordered, controlled, feared, even hated. But this boy…hardly older then a child, but not yet a man grown was talking to him as though he were a person.

"Expect no further mercy from me," The mutant tiger snarled angrily, but after a moment, his voice softened. "But…you are welcome." Donnie closed his eyes again seeming to fall into an uneasy rest before the Shredder came to torment him once again. Tigerclaw eyed the young ninja with almost wrapped curiosity.

When the Shredder had hired him he had promised that if he destroyed the Turtles and capture their master, he could help him find the one who had stolen his tail.

Back then he didn't question this task…it was just another hired job. When he and Karai had come upon them, the words exchanged between the red one and the blue one told him that one of their number and their companions had been dealt with. This hadn't bothered him, though, he had his quarry. If the fourth one was still alive he would be of little consequence, so long as his brothers and his master were eliminated. Even when he had faced all four turtles head on, he didn't see the bo wielder as any sort of challenge when compared to his brothers. His movements were too cautious, too calculated, which in turn advertised what strikes he would make. This genin mistake put him at a disadvantage as a fighter. But now that he thought of it, the Shredder's need to torment this boy in such manner didn't make any sense. The turtle held no significance, so what purpose did he hold? If the boy was to be punished for something he had long since receive it, but if the boy was to be executed, why not slay him and be done with it. This sort of torture was more suited to the Rat or maybe Leader of the turtles…not this underling. Tigerclaw's single eye widened as he came to a realization. The boy himself was not being punished but used as a means to punish someone else. His thoughts were further confirmed as the Shredder stormed into the room, and the screams began once more.

* * *

There was a firm knock on the door, but no one answered. Another louder knock resounded through the room before the door opened. The Shredder's form appeared in the door frame as he entered. The lights were out and the room was dark, his single eye glanced around the room expectantly, but there was nothing that indicated that anyone was there.

"Karai?" He called out

There wasn't an answer, only the deep violet curtains fluttering in the breeze coming from the open window illustrated the mode of the occupants departure. The Shredder rushed to the window as though hoping to see Kunoichi in mid-departure. But instead with the exception of a homeless man wandering down the street, there was no one. A low growl started in his throat as he rounded from the window and stormed out of the room. Karai was gone…that was the truth.

"Stockman!" He roared.

"Yea…yes Master *buzz* Shredder." The Mutant Fly simpered before letting out a pain filled intake of breath as the Shredder grabbed him by the neck.

"Where is…Karai?" The Shredder snarled.

"She….she should be in her room as you ordered!" Stockman said. "The mind control serum forces her to believe and follow everything you want her too."

"Then explain to me why she's gone!" Shredder roared as is hand tightened around the mutant fly's neck.

"Gone! That's impossible!" Stockman said. "The only way she would leave is if her body rejected the worm that was controlling her. But even if that was the case, she still would be under your control because of the second worm you added after Leonardo damaged the first one.

"No matter! I will find Karai once again…but now it's time Leonardo knew the true meaning of suffering." Shredder growled. "Get the worms!"

"Right away!" Stockman buzzed before he flew off.

"Steranko! Zeck!"

"Yes, Master Shredder!" Rocksteady saluted.

"Right here, Shred-man!" Bebop added.

"Bring Leonardo…"

* * *

"Raph…..Raph!" Green eyes blinked open as he found Leo kneeling over him. The blue-masked Turtle's eyes were dark with concern as he called his brother's name.

"Le…Leo?" Raph said elder brother name.

"Thank goodness." Leo gave a gasp of relief as he gave his immediate younger brother a watery smile.

"I owe Don a big apology for all the times I've teased him for being electrocuted," Raph said as he sat up with some help from Leo. "Man, that isn't fun when you've been zapped more times than you care to count."

Leo's smile faded as the worried look returned to his face at the thought of his other two brothers. Compared to Mikey, Raph looked relatively unharmed while Don was getting gods knew what done to him by the Shredder.

"That is if you can get the chance to apologize," Leo said with a worried tone in his voice. "With what had been done to Mikey…" This caught Raph's attention immediately as he sat up.

"So how bad was he?" Raph asked with a smoldering blaze in his eyes. "I heard the whole thing…was it as bad as it sounded."

"They only peeled away the skin his hands and one side of his face," Leo said. "I'm actually grateful that we are able to heal from our injuries as quickly as we do…but even something like that would take a lot of time and there is no telling how bad the scaring would be if any."

Raph's opened and closed the fingers of his hands angrily as though itching to wrap them around someone's neck, namely, a certain person named Karai. Splinters daughter or not, she had gone too far this time and she will pay for her actions. Even Leo would have to admit to that as much as he wanted to believe Karai was salvageable in the end all she was, was nothing more than damaged goods. Even if she did become free of the worm that had been implanted in her brain, he would never trust her as one of them, Hamato Miwa had died a long time ago as far as he was concerned.

"I heard you tell Mikey that Donnie was taken to the Shredder," Raph said.

"Yes…" Leo answered one hand clenching in frustration. "I want to believe he'll be alright…but."

"The odds aren't good." Raph completed the statement. "It doesn't make sense, what would the Shredder want with him? I mean yeah, you and me that would make some sense because we're the strongest fighters and the elder brothers…"

"That's it!" Leo gasped.

"What's it?" Raph inquired in confusion.

"What you just said about us being the strongest fighters and the elder brothers," Leo said. "It all makes sense, why Mikey was flayed and Donnie was beaten. When Karai was taunting Donnie she said 'I would face any sort of pain and call it noble, but in her opinion she would call it stupid.' Why are the two of us the strongest fighters? It's so we can protect our family and our younger brothers. Why was the audio feed between our cells connected the way it was? It was so you and I could hear what was happening to them, but be unable to do anything about it. Much like Mikey could hear me and Donnie could hear you in the same fashion. It's why…it's why nothing has happened to me…at least so far. "

Raph's face scowled in anger at the thought of this. Before he could voice his displeasure the door to the cell opened; Bebop and Rocksteady entered the room.

"The Shredder requires your presence." The mutant warthog said with a mock bow to Leonardo.

"Master Shredder has the something he is wanting to show you," Rocksteady grinned. Leo got to his feet, Raph also started to struggle upward.

"Nyet…you are not needed, Raphael. This show is for Leonardo, only." The Mutant Rhino said.

"If I go, Raph comes to," Leo demanded.

"That was not Master Shredder's requirement," Rocksteady said. "You are to come with us willingly or by the force."

"Leo…just go, you know what it might be." Raph sighed. "I'll…I'll be fine right here." Leonardo's eyes met Raph's before he hugged his brother tightly as though he were embracing him for the last time.

"Splinter's on his way," Leo whispered in his brother's ear slit. Raph lightly slapped Leo's shell a couple of times to let him know he heard the message loud and clear. Letting Raph go, Leo, turned and walked to where the mutant Rhino and Warthog stood waiting for him, the familiar pillow case was shoved over his head and he was escorted out of the room, the door shutting behind him.

* * *

Leo found himself being lead slightly more roughly than he had when he was being escorted to see Mikey and Raph. He found himself being lead upstairs, the flat concrete replacing itself with cold flagstone which meant he was being lead out of the lab.

He suddenly stiffened when he heard a familiar raspy cry of pain. A cry he would have recognized anywhere.

"Donnie!" He yelled out as he started to rush forward but he was being restrained by Rocksteady's strong arms.

"Relax, you'll see 'brain boy' soon enough." Bebop taunted. "Mrs. S is just showing him who is the head honcho around here if you get my drift." The screams grew louder and louder as they got closer until finally the bag was removed. Donnie was kneeling on the ground, his arms held aloft by two steel cables coming from the mouths of two mousers overhead. The purple-masked turtle's body slumped forward as his chest rose and fell, heavy breaths escaping his mouth, a string of drool dangled from mouth, while his mahogany colored eyes were blank and lifeless.

The Shredder pressed a button causing electricity to shoot down the cables causing Donatello to scream in pain once more.

"STOP IT!" Leo yelled to Shredder as he struggled to get out of Rocksteady's grip. "Stop it, please!" The masked man stopped the torment, amusement clearly present in his eyes. His thumb poised over the control button, the action taunting Leo with the knowledge that he held his brother's in his hands.

"Leo…?" Donnie asked as he slowly started to recover. Leonardo noted that Donnie's voice was somewhat croaky, possibly due to all the screaming he had been doing. His eyes were still unfocused as they stared blankly at his brother as if trying to comprehend the person who stood before him.

"Yeah, it's me," Leo said reassuringly, he wanted nothing more than to run over and gather his brainy brother into his arms and tell him everything would be alright. Donnie shook his head as though trying to clear away any the fog that his filled his oversized brain. His eyes becoming less blearily and much more like the gentle intellectual he normally was.

"Get out of here, Leo! " Donnie yelled out. "Get the others and run, forget about me!" The Shredder responded by backhanding the purple-masked turtle across the face.

"I didn't say you could speak." The Shredder growled angrily.

"Leave him alone, Shredder!" Leo growled as he struggled once more to get out of Rocksteady's grip. If Raph had come with him, his brutish immediate younger brother would be seeing red right about now. "Can't you see he's had enough?! If you need to hurt someone, then hurt me…leave Donnie and the rest of my brothers out of this."

"Oh, but I have been hurting you…" Shredder said angrily. "Through your brothers!" Stockman appeared at the Shredders side with the jar of brain worms and a pair of tongs. Reaching the tongs into the jar, the mutant fly pulled out a particularly big, fat, and ugly worm.

"No!" Leo yelled in horror as he realized what the Shredder intended to do. "Don't do this! Not to him!" The Shredder nodded to Stockmen who placed the evil grub on Donnie's forehead. Donnie's brown eyes crossed in fright as they zeroed in on the insect which squirmed its way to his left ear slit and began to burrow itself into the cavity.

* * *

The pain was excruciating; it felt like someone was hammering a drill bit through his ear canal. His head pounded with the worst headache ever as he felt his mind being invaded. In his mind's eye, he could see his memories…all seventeen years he had been alive. Many of his most precious memories fading away from existence, such as himself at age three sitting in Splinter's lap alongside Leo as his Splinter read to them from Musashi's Book of the Five Rings. Earning Raph's appreciation after he built the Shellraiser, Mikey from back when they had been fourteen years old informing him that he had been able to get through his ninja trial thanks to that lecture on keypad locks he had given him weeks ago.

Less pleasant memories were twisted to make them feel like hardships. Mikey finding the smoke bomb eggs Donnie had created and gleefully smashing them in his exuberance, became Mikey smashing them out of spite. The argument Leo had with Donnie about the Turtle Mech, twisted to Leo telling him he didn't want to use it simply because he invented it.

Raph returning from a hike after Leo had finally come out of his coma. "What were you trying to do, poison him?" Raph's voice yelled as he glared dagger's at Donnie after catching sight of him. Instead of stares and glances of confused concern instead, Leo, April, Mikey, and Casey all glare at him accusatorially. "Haven't you done enough damage already, Genius?" Casey snarls vehemently.

"Donnie, how could you?!" April screams at him, her eyes full of hate. "You couldn't even save my father from being mutated…again!"

And the worst memories of all were brought forward in all their painful glory. The nightmarish hallucinations brought on by that mutant mushroom. Visions of a demonic April calling him horrible things such as a three-fingered freak, April looking at him dead in the eyes and telling him she never wanted to see any of them ever again. Leo's half dead body being thrown through the window of April's apartment. Splinter being lost as he was thrown into a swirling vortex of water and sewage.

Donnie was only vaguely aware of the steel cable holding his wrists overhead had been removed. A knife slid into place before him. Slowly Donnie reached out for the small weapon, looking up he noticed Leonardo had been given a blade to a sword.

Memories of Leo pressuring him, telling him he wasn't doing things fast enough or brushing aside his efforts as though they didn't matter haunted him. Even now his so called older brother was probably crowing to himself about having the better weapon.

On the contrary, Leo was eyeing the knife Donnie had been given with concern. Typically this weapon arrangement was used when committing seppuku. A knife to open the abdomen, while a designated person with a sword decapitates the person committing the ritualized suicide. But the Shredder wouldn't allow them to end their lives with such honor. But in a fight against something like a sword, Donnie may as well have been given a tooth pick for all the defense it would give him, unless… Leo could feel his heart fall to the level of his knees as he realized a horrible truth. The Shredder wasn't expecting Donnie to survive, but to die at his own brother's hand.


	9. Chapter 9

Leo felt the hands restraining him release causing him to stumble forward. His eyes never left Donnie's form as his brother stood up the knife in his hand. Leo could make out every injury that been added to his younger brothers form, it was clear to anyone that Donnie was in no condition to be standing let alone fighting. Slowly Leo reached down for the sword, he had no intention of using on his brother…but there to be a way to break the Shredders control.

Donnie went ridged and brought a hand to his head as though he had a headache, a shiver passed through his form before his eyes returned to his brother. Leo noted they had become the familiar blank white they would become when faced with an intense battle. Around them, everyone from the Foot Clans stood watching.

"This'll be the good fight!" Rocksteady roared in delight.

"Agree with you there," Bebop crowed with his obnoxious laughter. Fishface and Rahzar were grinning delight at the impending bloodshed they would witness. Stockman buzzed overhead not wanting to miss a second of the action, while Tigerclaw eyed the proceedings impassively. Shredder knelt the way he had the day that Raph had been subjected to Shredder's control. The malicious gleam in his eyes made the smirk that was likely gracing the face beneath the mask all too clear. He was anticipating death.

"Begin!" Shredder barked. Immediately Donnie launched himself as his eldest brother. Leo brought up the sword blade, not to slay his brother but block the knife strikes has they flew at him.

"Donnie!" Leo called trying to reach his younger brother.

"Don't call me that!" Donnie snarled. "Don't talk to me as though you care about me! We both know I'm worthless and pathetic."

Leo's eyes widened in horror before he narrowly avoided getting stabbed by the knife Donnie was wielding. The blade managed to graze his arm drawing blood, but not enough to do any real damage. His genius younger brother was coming at him with no restraint. It was almost unperceivable how vicious that Donnie actually could be, the brother he knew hated to see anyone get hurt. Especially if said people were his brothers. And the vehement self-loathing that was coming from his mouth was not something Donnie would have said ever.

"I would never say that to you!" Leo yelled out to his brother in protest.

"You've all thought it!" Donnie sneered as he lunged at Leo once more, the knife narrowly missing Leo's throat. "You've probably wished I wasn't even your brother!"

"This is nonsense! I'd never think that of you…or any of you!" Leo asked as he blocked another thrust.

"Oh don't act so high and mighty. Don't think I don't know what you talk about behind my back." Donnie growled. Then thrust the knife towards Leo's left eye. It was so quick Leo had no time to raise the katana blade he was holding to block it. Just as he was starting to prepare himself for the blades entry into his eye socket, it suddenly stopped. The knife tip was half a centimeter away, but Donnie himself had paused just short as though an unseen force had commanded him to halt the attack.

* * *

The small cadre of rescuers slipped unnoticed into the Shedder's lair. Aside from the small contingency of Foot Bots, there didn't seem to be anyone around.

"Doesn't it seem rather quiet to anyone?" Pigeon Pete cooed with apprehension.

"Now that you mention it, yeah..." Casey said. "I was expecting we'd see mutt face or horn head and pig-breath at the very least."

"I sense people here…there is a group of them a couple floors below us…I sense Leo and Donnie are with them." April said as she placed her hand to her head feeling the energy signatures of each of her friends. "And both Raphael and Michelangelo are further down."

"Let's get to Raph and Mikey, first," Slash said.

"But what about Leo and Don?" Casey asked.

"Leonardo is the best fighter of the four of them." Rockwell assessed.

"Donatello should not be underestimated either." Splinter also pointed out.

Raphael sighed in frustration for what felt like the umpteenth time since Leonardo had left. He knew wherever the blue-masked turtle was it had to be with Donnie. The gut feeling he had told him this, but he wondered if he should have insisted on being allowed to be taken wherever Leo was.

If anything he felt bored with the bare metal walls that stood around him. What he would give for the sound of Mikey's prattling, Leo scolding him, Donnie endlessly talking on about things he could care less about.

"Raph's in here." He heard a voice…a familiar female voice coming from the other side of the sliding panel that served as a door.

"April?!" He asked.

"Stand back!" Rockwell said. There was a beeping noise and the door panel slid open. In seconds a large figure rushed into the room. And for Raph, he was the best sight he had seen in hours.

"Raphael!" Splinter said his son's name as he ran to his side.

"Father," Raph said in relief as he allowed himself to be pulled into Splinters arms. The Elder Rat didn't bother asking his son if he was alright. He could the burns that striped his son's body for himself, which was, fortunately, something he would recover from given ample rest over the next couple of days.

"Come on, bud!" Casey said as he stalked forward placing an arm under Raphael's shoulder as both Splinter and Casey hoisted him to his feet. "We're getting you out of here!"

"Mikey's here," April called from another cell some distance down from Raph's cell. Rockwell immediately set to work trying to disable to lock.

"Mikey…" Raph suddenly gasped in alarm. "Oh man...in case you're wondering Sensei, they did worse things to Mikey then they did to me."

"Like what?" Casey asked as though uncertain he wanted to know the answer.

"Mikey!" April cried out in alarm which was echoed with a roar of rage from Leatherhead.

"April…Leatherhead?" Mikey weakly asked as Leatherhead gathered him into his arms.

"You will be alright, my friend," Leatherhead growled soothingly to the young turtle.

"Michelangelo…" Splinter said leaving Raphael's side. His eyes in taking the horrors that have been done to his youngest son. April stepped out of the room not far behind Leatherhead, her face pale and drawn at the level of depravity that had been committed upon the young turtle.

"Hey, Master Splinter," Mikey greeted, from where he rested in Leatherheads arms. "It may look bad, but it's alright. It only hurts when I smile."

"My poor son," Splinter whispered as one hand affectionately ran the unpeeled side of Mikey's face.

"Mikey!" Raph yelled out and stumbled his way to where Mikey. "I'm right here, little brother."

"Dude, what sick bastard would do something like that to somebody?!" Casey asked as his dark brown eyes taking in the sight of Mikey with horrified disgust.

"A sick bastard called 'the Shredder'," Raphael grumbled with increasing disgust. "There are so many people in this stupid clan whose butts I need to kick! I'll need to keep a bucket list just to keep track of them all!"

"Calm yourself, Raphael." Splinter soothed. "Be grateful that you and your brothers are still alive."

"Right then," Rockwell answered taking on a professional tone. "I will need to assess their injuries so I know how to properly treat them. Let's get them to the van."

"Great Splinter," Slash bowed to him respectfully "You can't face the Shredder and all his followers alone in order to same Leonardo and Donatello. Let me come with you, I owe the Shredder for what he has done to Raphael."

"And me!" Leatherhead growled in agreement. "You and your sons are my friends…and I will pay in kind to whoever hurts my friends."

"Then let us move quickly." Splinter said as he started to make his way out of Stockman's subterranean lab, to the bottom floors of the Shredder's lair. Leatherhead handed Michelangelo to April before following before following Slash after the mutant rat.

* * *

Donnie pulled back a look of confusion crossing his face. He looked at the knife in his hand as if seeing it for the first time and unsure as to why he had it.

"Stockman! What is happening?" The Shredder bellowed to the mutant fly buzzing overhead.

"I don't know! *buzz*" Stockman replied. "It's like he is trying to resist the mind serum, but that's *buzz* impossible." Leo's eyes glinted with hope, as they focused on his younger brother. For a small moment, Donnie's eyes seemed to appear, he shook his head as though trying to clear it whatever was cluttering it. But then he clutched his scalp his teeth gritting in pain as though he was suffering from a massive headache. When Donnie glanced up at Leo, again the gentle mahogany eyes were replaced again with the blank angry white once more.

Leo knew his younger brother's mind was being suppressed once more. Looking at the katana he had been given he tossed the blade aside. This was a mental fight, not a physical one.

"Fool, a ninja never throws away their weapon!" Donnie shouted at Leonardo before launching himself at his brother once more. Leo, however, was prepared and grabbed both of the purple-masked terrapin's wrists in his hands. Giving the wrist of Donnie's knife hand a hard squeeze he forced his brother to let the blade drop to the floor.

"Donnie, listen to me!" He firmly said. "You are under the control of one of Shredder's mind worms. I know it's hard, but I need you to keep fighting it."

* * *

" _You are under the control of one of Shredder's mind worms. I know it's hard, but I need you to keep fighting it._ "

Donnie heard his brother's words in his mind and the look of conviction that filled Leonardo's eyes. A look full of love and trust for someone he deeply cared for as a brother and friend.

" _He lies, child._ " A voice filled Donnie's mind, a cold sinister voice, a voice he knew he shouldn't trust. But he couldn't shake the compulsive feeling that he had to listen to it. " _None of them have never cared about you or what you contribute to your team. This one least of all!_ "

The memory of the invasion was brought forward. It was his lab in the lair, Leo was pacing back and forth in irritation while Donnie sat at his computer. Mikey was only interested in shoving pizza into his face and wasn't paying attention to either of his older brothers.

 _"I'm so worried I can't even eat." Donnie griped as he tossed aside the slice of pizza he had only managed to take one bite out of. Mikey caught the partially eaten slice in midair._

 _"Yeah me, too," Mikey said through a mouth full pizza. "Oh well, more for me." Mikey happily finished the slice he held in one hand and then started to devour his brother's partially eaten slice._

 _"There is no time for worry." Splinter said as entered the lab. "The Kraang invasion us upon us, what plans have you devised to stop it." Eagerly Donnie stood up and pulled_ over _his display board._

 _"I give you my latest invention, the Turtle Mech!" Donnie announced. "It's fully armed with rockets, flame throwers, and an electro-harpoon. Good to stop a massive Kraang army or your money back."_

"Yeah,. _" Leo scoffed with disinterest. "That's cute and all, Donnie. But we are going with my idea, which is evacuating the city, and starting a second base outside of it."_

 _"Count me in with, Leo." Mikey cheered as pumped one fist in the air._

 _"Besides, you aren't even finished with that thing ye," Leo added. "We can't use something that's barely functional."_

 _"It's functional, for the most part!" Donnie stated defensively. "Besides, we don't have time to start a second base. You heard Splinter, the Kraang Invasion is practically on our doorstep. We need to nip this thing in the bud right now."_

 _"Yeah, and what are your plans for when that thing of yours fails." Leo derisively commented. "Like every single one of your other mechanical abortions."_

 _"Leo, the Turtle Mech is solid." Donnie insisted becoming more irritated with his brother by the minute. "If I were leader…"_

 _"But you're not_ leader _, are you?" Leo growled. "Last I checked I was leader, I was appointed by Splinter and you weren't. That's why I lead, and you do what I say. Got that! If you don't like it…there's the door, you can leave anytime!" Donnie's face twisted into an angry snarl; he started to open his mouth to tell his brother off._

 _"Oh snap, this is going to be good!" Mikey chortled with amusement._

 _"Stop this, both of you." Splinter said. "Leonardo is right; starting another base outside the city is the wisest decision."_

" _Such a shame."_ The cold voice said. " _Any caring brother and leader would have at least considered the weapon you were creating, not brush it aside as though it were garbage. And if he had his doubts he could have brought them up before you built your creation, not after the fact._ "

Donnie's eyes wavered…he could vaguely recall the memory of that time being different. But this memory seemed so real, so there had to be truth there.

" _The fact is you've always hated your older brother._ " The voice continued to croon with its vile tone. " _You've done nothing but tried to impress him with your skills; you look up to him and have loyally followed him. By all right he should treat your suggestions as gold, and instead, he regards them the way he would a used Kleenex. You've hated the fact he is appointed leader when you feel you are better suited to the job. You've hate the fact he's better than you at fighting and everything else. And you what's this…you've seem to be concealing of something, a memory of when he saved you when you were children. Oh, how unfortunate…it seems this is a memory when he tried to kill you._ "

Another memory came forward, as much more of his childhood memories were being looked through now. Most of his memories of Raph were the less than pleasant ones, Raph yelling at him, hitting him, using him as a puppet to entertain Mikey. Donnie was certain, with those memories but some of them seemed harsher then he recalled them actually being. The memories of Mikey were fewer which was weird. Obviously, Mikey was a presence in his life, but much of the less pleasant and horrible memories had Mikey being a victim of Raph or Leo or both. And occasionally from Mikey's own brand of foolishness, such as rubbing failed retromutagen on his face and body or thinking a human superstar would openly accept him without question.

Even the memories of Splinter had his father praising his sons and passing over him as though he didn't exist. And other times verbally chastising him for not doing a technique properly, or stating that if he devoted the same level of attention to ninjitsu as much as he gave to his lab he would be at the same skill level as Leonardo.

The memory that was being brought forward was one of the many childhood memories with Leo. In the memory featured Leo and himself around the age of six. Leo was struggling to pull Donnie out of a river of sewage that threatened to sweep him away to certain a death at the bottom of a drainage tunnel. The memory slowly shifted so that Leo's face twisted from frightened and concerned to maliciousness and hate. Making it look like he was threatening to let go of his own brother leaving him to his fate.

A cold certainty filled his mind. Yes, he did hate Leonardo…despised him, completely and utterly loathed him and for that, he had to pay."

* * *

"I don't want to fight you 'D'!" Leonardo said as he looked into his brother's eyes. Willing Donnie to fight the mind control he was under.

"So I'm not worthy of a fight, am I." Donnie shot back tossing Leonardo aside hard enough to send him stumbling back some steps. Donnie regained control of the knife once more and rushed at his foe. Leo looked longingly at his second brother. The only truth Donnie understood was the truth the Shredder supplied to him. There had to be something, something Donnie would know and recognize but the Shredder never would. At that moment he realized he knew exactly what he should use as he opened his arms like a martyr.

Donnie held the knife out, smirking as Leonardo lay himself open for the knife thrust that would impale his heart. To Donnie's surprise, though, Leonardo stepped to the side and enfolded him into an embrace. The purple-masked turtle was so shocked by this action he couldn't move. This didn't make sense, Leo was his enemy, why would his enemy hug him.

"I love you 'D'," Leo whispered from where his head rested on Donnie's shoulder as he guided the both of them so they were kneeling on the ground. The moment they were on the floor Donnie regained himself gripping the knife that was still in his hand he brought it up and plunged the blade into his brother's shoulder. Leo gasped with sudden pain, but that made him hold on to his brother all the tighter. So long as he still had use of that arm he would never let go. Leaning in closer to Donnie's ear slit he softly whispered a name.

"Shion…"


	10. Chapter 10

*Flash Back*

"Today I will be giving you your, Ninja Names," Splinter announced as he knelt down facing his sons placing four ninja eye masks on his lap.

"But don't we already have names?" Mikey asked.

"Yes and no." Splinter answered his youngest son with a proud smile. "You have your given names, these are your ninja names. Unlike your given names, your Ninja Names must be held closest to your heart, for they represent your truest self. These names must remain known only to a trusted few and never openly used, for if an enemy knows of your ninja name they will have something that binds you to them.

"But Sensei," Leo pointed out. "We aren't ninja yet, we haven't gone through our trial?"

"You haven't yet, but you will soon..." Splinter said proudly. "Perhaps sooner than you think."

"Oooo Oooo, tell is about your ninja trial Sensei," Mikey suggested as he nearly bounced up and down on from where he knelt on the floor.

"That is a story for another day, my son." Splinter said calmly. "Now then, Leonardo, you are the eldest and devote yourself not only in dedication to our noble art but also this family. So I give you this blue mask, its color symbolizes trust, loyalty, wisdom, and confidence. From now on, your ninja name will be Seiji."

Leonardo gracefully accepted his mask and put it on.

"Raphael," Splinter continued. "Your anger is one constant issue you must face in your lifetime. If properly channeled it can be used to help defend and protect those around you. But if used improperly, it will produce a weapon that is far too powerful to control. So I give you this red mask, its color symbolizes strength, power, determination, and courage. From now on, your ninja name will be Ryusuke.

Raphael eagerly put on his new mask, smirking at his other brother.

"Donatello." Splinter said "You carry elements of the two brothers who have come before you. In many ways the fighting style is in compliment with them, however, you also have skills and talents that are yours alone. Because of this, I will give you this purple mask, its color symbolizes wisdom, dignity, creativity, and independence. From now on, your ninja name will be Shion.

Donatello grinned proudly as he accepted his new mask. He didn't put it on right away, he looked at the mask as though examining it.

"But Sensei…" Donnie answered. "This isn't purple, it's violet."

"What are you talking about?" Raph asked, "Purple and Violet are the same color."

"Not so, Raphael" Splinter answered. "True purple is equal parts Blue and Red, violet is where one of the two colors is more dominant than the other. Thank you for pointing that out, Donatello, you are quite right."

Donnie said nothing to clarify which color was most dominant in the fabrics color shade as he put on the mask. Leonardo, in turn, smiled at his second brother approvingly.

"Lastly Michelangelo," Splinter said as he held up a final mask that was orange in color. "You have a vivid imagination, but also a caring heart that strives to see and bring out the good in others, even when others don't see it for themselves. For this I give you this orange mask, its color symbolizes enthusiasm, happiness, determination, and encouragement. From now on your ninja name will be Asahiko."

*End Flashback*

* * *

He felt Donnie become rigid, instinctively he loosened the hold he held on his brother allowing him to bring one hand up to cover his mouth. Donatello moved to the side before he pitched forward issuing a small puddle of bile and mucus onto the flagstone floor along with a large worm. Leo at once reached out one leg so that his foot crushed the vial grub with a disgusting yet satisfying 'squish'.

Leo shuddered at the feel of the creatures innards staining the bindings on his feet, but he would deal with that later. For now, he had to focus on his brother and getting the both them out of there.

"Donnie?" He asked placing a gentle hand on his brother's shoulder. Donnie coughed and spit out any more gunk his body was ejecting before he looked up, his brown eyes meeting Leo's concerned blue ones.

"Se…iji" Donnie softly said, his voice a distorted croak. Leo at once gathered his brother into his arms cradling his head close to his chest.

"Don't talk now," Leo advised. "You just rest," Donnie responded by nodding his head but then his eyes caught sight of the blade sticking out of Leo's shoulder. He remembered stabbing his brother with it as his eyes widened in horror. He then looked at his hands as though expecting to see his brother's blood on them.

Leo had noticed that the small emotional change in his brother's body language and understood. The injured limb was already starting to feel useless, but he was still able to have some movement in it for the time being. Slowly and painfully he placed his hand in both of Donnie's.

"It wasn't you," Leo said soothingly as he brought his forehead to his brothers. "It wasn't you..."

Donnie seemed to accept Leo's placating gesture for the time being as he drew strength from his brother presence. Every so often a small shiver would pass through his frame. Leo smiled softly and affectionately nuzzled his forehead against his younger brothers as a form of comfort.

"Pathetic…"

The single uttered word caused Leo to open his eyes revealing a raging storm within their blue depths; the soft smile replacing itself with an angered scowl.

"Will you never be satisfied in your desires to destroy my family?" Leo demanded coldly.

"I will never be satisfied until the entire Hamato blood line is cleansed from this earth!" Shredder roared.

"The entire Hamato blood-line includes Karai..." Leo growled. "Would you slay her too?"

"Karai is my daughter!" Snarled the Shredder "I raised her! I trained her!"

"And that's the only kindness you may have done for her," Leo said again as he returned his attention to his resting brother. "Her whole life you have lied to her, trained her to be a weapon for your own ends. You made her believe your delusions about the death of her mother when Tang Shen was slain and all the torment that you claim vengeance against was caused by your own hand. That's why you used the mind worms on her! That's why she isn't here, isn't it? You don't want her to know the truth; you want her to be nothing more than your obedient puppet!"

"Enough of this!" Shredder said as he stood and he drew his blades. "Your lives will end here and now!" There was a sudden roar coming from the entryway to the chamber before Leatherhead burst in.

"This is for Michelangelo," Leatherhead growled as snapped at the Shredder. Slash also entered the room with a loud war cry of "For Raphael!"

Splinter appeared by his elder son's side.

"Sensei!" Leo said with elation.

"Get Donatello, out of here. I will handle the Shredder." Splinter answered before he joined the fray. Leo didn't object as he carefully pulled Donnie to his feet; supporting him on his good shoulder the two of them started to stumble out of the room. Behind them, Leatherhead was facing off against Rahzar and Fishface while Slash faced off against Bebop and Rocksteady. Bebop was quickly overpowered leaving the two larger mutants to duke it out.

Donnie and Leo were almost at the door when Tigerclaw appeared in front of them, his ice gun drawn.

"Where do you think you are going, Little Ones?!" The large cat snarled.

Donnie looked up and shook his head at the mutant tiger pleadingly. Tigerclaw eyed the two of them, he could incapacitate the two of them easily even without the ice gun. Though he had made it clear that he intended no further mercy for them, the way the purple-masked one looked at him gave him pause. Donatello was in no condition to defend himself and would go down rather easily. Leonardo still had some strength left to put up a fight to defend himself and his brother, but given his condition, he would still be defeated easily.

In his line of work, Tigerclaw had never questioned the morals and motives of his clients when hired to hunt down a target either for capture or a kill. It was all just a job, a task, it was not his place to know the reasons behind it. Yet, he couldn't deny the Shredder's motives or interests were questionable if not flawed, but the Shredder was also his employer and he wanted to see the deaths of the Turtles before him and anyone else associated with them. Still…the gap tooth turtle had spoken to him and treated him as though he was a person. That was not something the mutant tiger had experienced during the decades following his mutation at the hands of the Kraang. But there was no way the Shredder would allow him to just let the two of them walk out of the building alive. His thoughts were so conflicted he didn't notice Slash before the larger mutant had slammed his mace into him sending him into a wall.

"Here, let me carry him," Slash said as he hung up his mace onto his belt. Leo at once pulled Donnie protectively towards him, he acknowledged and respected the larger turtle as an ally, albeit grudgingly. But that didn't mean he had forgiven nor forgotten what Slash had done to his younger brothers. How he had dragged his second brother away and brutally injured him before leaving him for dead. Donatello calmly placed a hand his brother's arm, he said nothing but he did offer Leo a look that said they didn't have time to debate the issue. Reluctantly Leo allowed Slash to gather Donatello into his arms and carry him like a small child to where the party wagon waited outside. Leo remained close beside Slash making sure the larger Turtle didn't suddenly cause Donnie any further harm. However, there were other things Leo wished he could spare his brother from…such as the sight of Mikey.

* * *

When they reached to the van, Donnie almost tumbled out of Slash's arms as he tried to get his only little brother. Mikey lay sleeping with his head cradled on April's lap. Most of the damage had been bandaged, but that didn't make things less horrifying.

Raph wrapped a comforting hand around his immediate younger brother's shoulders as Donnie started to have an emotional breakdown. Leo eyed the entrance to the Shredder's Lair. He was itching to go back inside to assist Splinter; Slash also felt the same way about Leatherhead. They, fortunately, didn't have long to wait as Splinter and Leatherhead came racing out of the building and leaped into the back of the van. Slash climbed in as well slamming the sliding door closed, which Casey took as a cue to floor the gas pedal and get them out of there.

There was very little talking in the crowded space as they raced away into the night. The only sounds in the van itself were Pigeon Pete happily chewing on a ciabatta roll, Mikey's soft snores, and Donnie hyperventilating breaths while Raph was softly muttering to him in order to coach him through his anxiousness.

Rockwell had moved behind Leonardo and was examining the knife in his shoulder before he carefully eased the blade out. Splinter watched with some concern, Raphael and Leonardo's injuries appeared to be minimal but that knife in his elder son's shoulder could still be worse than it looked. He also wanted to examine Donatello's injuries as well, but that would wait until he calmed down or until they found a place to stop the van.

"Alright, there doesn't seem to be too much damage," Rockwell stated as he started to bind the injury. "The limb should remain elevated as the muscle heals. You are fortunate though if the person who stabbed you had aimed the blade half a centimeter to the right he would have hit an artery and things would be much more serious.

"No…" Leo's eyes looked pained as he eyed focused on Donatello who was clinging to Raphael like a lifeline. "He knew where he was aiming the blade." Rockwell's gaze followed Leonardo's gaze as the gears in his head clicked into place.

"So…Donatello was subjected to one of those mind control worms." He said as though the thought brought up a bad memory. Leo didn't say anything further about it but nodded his head in confirmation. He had other things he needed to focus on right now.

They needed a place where they could have the time and peace of mind to fully recover. The lair while they did habitually keep it clean…or at least the common areas were kept as clean as clean could get in the sewers; we're not the most sanitary of places. And while they did have Donnie's security and cloaking systems to protect them from intruders and ward off the occasional homeless person from coming across their lair, they couldn't return there. The Shredder would be out in force to look for them soon enough and that added stress would make the healing process less effective. Fortunately, there was a place they could go, just two hours outside the city. Casey turned into an alley and into one of the false garage doors, Donnie had installed in one of the abandoned buildings around town. This gave the group a small chance to breathe and regroup for a moment.

"April…" Leo said. "I think we may need to be taken to the farmhouse."

"I was thinking that myself," April agreed. "It would certainly be a place to hide out until things die down."

"The Shredder will likely be keeping tabs on you and Casey." Leo continued. "If it's okay with you, maybe you can drive us just outside the city and we'll take things from there. The less you know the better."

"And here I was hoping for a vacation," Casey said adding a bite of humor.

"No chance," April said. "I'm not just going to stand by and wait for you guys to return!"

"But what about your father?" Leo asks.

"You guys are family to me too," April said firmly. "I'll work things out with my father, but I feel I should be with you."

"Geez Don," Raph said as Donnie continued to shake in his arms. The purple-masked turtle's irises were just dark pinpricks in a large pool of white. "This is the worst panic attack you've had ever, what in the world was done to you?" Splinter carefully moving through the crowded space until he was next to his second and third sons. Reaching out he placed a firm but gentle hand on Donnie's shoulder. Donnie jumped at the unexpected touch and struggled to get out of the arms restraining him. Sighing through his nose Splinter pinched a small pressure point at the base of Donatello's neck causing his panicked to limply fall into a deep sleep. The elder rat hated having to do such actions to one of his own sons, but he felt he had no choice.

"That should calm him down, for now." Splinter answered as he gently stroked his son's shell. Raph nodded as he continued to hold Don in his arms. He was aware of some of what had happened to Donnie from what he had heard Leo tell Michelangelo. But he wanted to wait until Slash and the other mutanimals were out of the van he could allow Donnie's body to stretch out.

"We will watch over things here," Slash stated as the four mutants left the van.

"We'll relay any updates through April," Rockwell added before the four mutants left was closed.

"Alright, next stop is the O'Neil Farmhouse, Northampton."

"No, we should stay here for tonight," Splinter answered. "It is late and daylight will be here in a matter of hours, and there are injuries still left to tend to. April I suggest that you call your father now and inform him that you are with friends."

April obediently extracted herself out from under Michelangelo's sleeping form and left the van to call her father. While she was gone Raph carefully rolled his immediate younger brother over so that he lay upon his shell. Splinter's and Raph's eyes both widened in horror at what they saw.

"My poor son…" Splinter whispered under his breath as his eyes slowly traveled over every injury on his intelligent son's form.


	11. Chapter 11

"Oh thank god," Kirby exclaimed over the phone. "Where are you? Do you need me to come get you?"

"I'm fine, Dad," April said reassuringly. "I'm with the Turtle's right, now…"

"It's kind of late to be with your friends," Kirby stated. "And I'm sure you have homework that needs doing."

"Dad, it's the weekend!" April said sharply. "The Turtles have just spent the worst twenty-four hours of their lives. I need to be with them."

"I'm glad your friends are safe," Kirby replied. "But they should be with their family and…"

"I know you want me home, but I feel I need to be with the Turtles right now," April explained. "And I am one of the few people they do consider family which makes it all the more important that I am with them. I'll be back home Sunday night at the latest, I promise."

"I uh I don't know, April." Kirby sighed noncommittally. "I'm not so sure…"

"I'll be fine, Dad. Please take care of yourself…be safe." With a sigh, she hung up her T-Phone. While she didn't exactly lie to her father, she knew she couldn't tell him the whole truth. There would be no way he would approve of her assisting in the rescue of the Turtles. Ever since her mother had been taken from them, he had been protective of her. Sometimes this was good as he accompanied her on every school field trip as well as weekend outings and spent time with him at his office during summers.

But sometimes his need to protect her would be almost neurotic at times which made it hard to make friends with other girls at school growing up. Every friend she made he would meet with them and evaluate them as though trying to see if they were any sort of threat. This unfortunately made any potential friend feel so uncomfortable that friendships were short lived. With the exception of Irma (who turned out to be Kraang Subprime) Casey and the Turtles were the only people she could truly call friends. But with both Casey and Donnie that brought in a whole new set of issues, her father's views on her possibly dating. Ever since she had introduced Casey to her father, he had been suspicious of the lanky boy's intentions and had implied that he disapproved of his presence in her life. Donnie on the other hand, Kirby had liked both as a fellow intellectual, and he was grateful to all the Turtles and Splinter for looking after her while he had been imprisoned. However anything beyond just friendship…particularly with how overly protective he had become following his abduction by the Kraang. She didn't want to see Donnie hurt not by her father, not by anyone.

Putting her t-phone back into her pocket she saw Casey climb out of the cab in the front of the party wagon. His molten chocolate brown eyes focused on where the Turtles and their master were gathered around their wounded family members. Most of Donnie's body was obscured from April's sight by Splinter's frame and it was a matter of time the red-haired girl saw for herself what had been done to him.

"Splinter needs us to get some water, blankets, and other items from the lair." Casey casually said.

"Alright," April said. She knew the Splinter's request for her to contact her father and this was to spare her from seeing the worst of Donnie's injuries. She remembered Slash arriving carrying a seriously battered Donnie in his arms. His mahogany brown eyes dulled by pain and exhaustion until they caught sight of Michelangelo. It was then that Donnie squirmed and nearly fell to the pavement as he clambered out of the gigantic turtle's arms and into the van as he tried to get to his baby brother's side. Each breath he took coming in and out in rapid hyperventilated gasps.  
She had for the briefest of moments seen long red welts on his face and body, but before she could fully register the injuries, Raph had gathered his agitated brother into his arms.

"Calm down, Don." Raph coached as he ran one of his hands in slow calming circles. "Just take deep breaths." Donnie, unfortunately, didn't seem to calm down, if anything Raph's restraining embrace was making the Purple-Masked Turtle all the more agitated. Everything around her in the overly crowded van was chaotic. The overwhelming smell of blood and worse the sour scent of infection was upon them. Everyone around her was fatigued, angry, and experiencing several different flavors of pain. The fact that these were her friends…her pseudo-brothers...her surrogate family made this all the more distressing. The Turtles had been treated like animals…no worse than animals. They had been treated like they were beasts. She would never forgive the Shredder or anyone from the Foot Clan…not after this. They were the real monsters.

* * *

Splinter's eyes roved over his third eldest son's injuries. The injuries of his two youngest sons were the worst he had seen. Michelangelo's hands and face would heal, though there would be quite a bit of scarring. The healing hands could be employed to help the healing process, and Rockwell had suggested Skin graphs from each of Michelangelo's older brothers. Raphael and Leonardo had openly agreed that would be something they would gladly offer to help their baby brother.

Donatello's injuries, however, appeared rather excessive. The long red welts cross-hatched Donatello's flesh and carved long grooves into his plastron. Long dark marks ran down both of his arms where he had been electrocuted by steel cables. The skin had severely chaffed and burnt. Blisters had formed, popped, and reformed in some of the more severely burned areas, while other areas looked cracked and bloodied. Some these injuries had a thin layer of scabbing, but others were open sores. There was a particularly nasty injury on Donatello's left arm. The wound was two deep gashes that nearly bisected the limb. A whitish film of puss had formed in this much older wound. Three long slashes also tore down the arm cleaving though this older injury causing the growing infection to ooze its way into the newer wounds. Fortunately, it hadn't reached the point of sepsis, but the blood loss that may have resulted from such an injury was more of a concern. Large and unsightly bruises also peppered Donnie's body and face; the worst ones encircled both of the young turtle's ankles. His wrists also had ligature marks in the shape of human hands. Hands that had clamped down hard enough to darken the green flesh several shades where it wasn't quite black, but not the same gentle olive tone of his intellectual son's flesh.

Raphael had taken Donatello's mask off and placed it next to Michelangelo's, his green eyes softened as he gently caressed his immediate younger brother's face taking note of the rising heat of a fever. One of Donnie's eyes looked swollen, possibly on the verge of blackening and drying blood trickled out of Donnie's right nostril. Nose bleeds were a clear indication of high stress, and the growing fever was not helping matters. Every mark on Donatello's flesh from the tiniest scratch to the deepest score made Raphael more and more angry. He hated the Foot Clan, he already hated every single one of those bastards for the inhuman things done to Mikey. But to willfully hurt Donnie like this, Raph couldn't decide whose face he wanted to punch in first.

Splinter didn't need to ask Raphael for the first aid kit as the red masked turtle handed it to the wizened rat without prompting. Taking out the bottle of hydrogen peroxide, Splinter immediately doused the worst of Donnie's wounds with it. Despite being unconscious, Donnie did give a hiss of pain as the clear anti-septic liquid seared the infected flesh.

"Donnie!" April exclaimed as she and Casey returned with the supplies needed. Dropping the blankets she was carrying she knelt beside her closest and dearest friend. Her eyes moistened with tears as her eyes took in the full extent of what had been done to him. It seemed unimaginable that such callousness could be inflicted upon someone so kind and gentle. It just wasn't fair.

"Here's the water you needed, Splinter," Casey said as he thrust an old saki gourd that was used as a water bottle towards the Ninja Master.

"Domo Arigato," Splinter said patiently as he took the gourd from the human boy. Raph at one helped support Donnie so that his head was tipped back enough for Splinter to dribble some of the liquid into his third son's mouth, before massaging Donnie's throat to help him swallow the fluid. The same thing was done to Michelangelo before the water gourd was tossed to Leonardo with the instruction that both he and Raph were to drink some of it as well, but not too much. Donatello was placed flat on his shell a folded blanket placed under his head as a pillow. Raph and Casey helped move Michelangelo to where Leo was sitting before settling themselves. A blanket was draped over Michelangelo, and others were handed to Leo and Raph. April quietly climbed into the cab of the van and settled on the leather seating, she sniffed softly but didn't fall asleep, however. A few tears slipped from her eyes and dropping into the pillow as her friends murmured to one another in the back of the van.

"Get what sleep you can," Splinter instructed as the water gourd was returned to him. "Daylight will soon be upon us." Picking up a washing cloth he wet it with some of the remaining water and placed it over Donatello's eyes before he also draped a quilt over his body.

"Will Mikey and Donnie, be alright?" Casey asked.

"It hangs in the balance." Splinter sighed. "Both are likely to survive his injuries…but there are some injuries that they will carry throughout the rest of their lives. And others that will never truly heal at all."

Leo sighed through his nose as his eyes focused on both his injured younger brothers knowing all too well the feeling that he would never recover. Going day by day struggling to hone his body back into what it had once been, only to be set back by his injured leg or feel severely weakened by a body that just refused to heal. Much of this was psychological and only resided in his mind, but telling himself that was one thing, believing it was another.

"What I don't get is, why Donnie and Mikey look like shit," Casey commented. "But you two are barely injured."

"It's just another way to hurt us," Raph said as he ground his hand into his palm. "Letting us hear our brothers get tortured knowing that we couldn't do anything about it. At least they didn't torture them in front of us...I swear I'd lose it if they did."

"Donnie was tortured in front of me," Leo said as he closed his eyes fighting back the tears that threatened to bloom in his eyes. "And because of me..."

"What?" Casey and Raph said in unison.

"Early on…when I regained consciousness, I had tried to break through the Shredder's control to Karai…" Leo explained.

"Why am I not surprised…" Raph interrupted with a scoff. "Seriously man, she's beyond all hope."

"Nothing is beyond all hope, Raphael!" Splinter barked. "Karai's mind is not her own, but that does not make her beyond redemption. Now, Leonardo…please continue…"

"As I said, I tried reaching through the mind control that the Shredder forced upon her." Leo continued finding it easier to talk while he looked at the floor. "Shredder must have heard what I had been saying to Karai, because five minutes after she stops talking to me, the Shredder arrived in the cell where Donnie was kept and starts telling Donnie how he's the weakest of the four of us, and that was possibly why the bo staff chose him. He then forced Donnie into a fight with him, during which Shredder tauntingly said that Donnie was not even worthy of calling himself a ninja and that if he was part of the Foot he would have been made Ashigaru-sha just so he could be used as target practice."

It was Splinter's turn to growl as he reached out and lightly ran the back of his hand along Donatello's forehead as he felt the fever that burned in his intelligent son's flesh. "The belief that strength comes only from physical power has always been one of Oroku Saki's greatest flaws." Leo nodded in agreement; he paused momentarily as though to gather his thoughts before he continued. The four of them never told Splinter about their encounter with Renet which had led them into the past save their sensei's life so that he would journey to New York and acquire the four of them. What was there to truly say, that they had wanted to prevent Tang Shen's death and Karai's abduction. Their Sensei would have understood that things would be vastly different if Tang Shen and Miwa had been spared their fates. But he also would have been saddened to know that his wife and child could have possibly been saved, even at the cost of the sons he had now.

"The way the Foot Clan had our cells set up was so we had one way audio between them. So anything that happened in Donnie's cell, I would hear it. And apparently, Donnie could hear Raph, because he told me that Raph was suffering from food poisoning. I also had suspected that the food given to us wasn't edible so that confirmed it for me and instead tried to get in contact with you. That's when Karai entered Donnie's cell and begins taunting Donnie. One such thing she had said was "…I do owe Leonardo some pay back for defeating me last we met. However, he would take any sort of physical pain and call it being noble…I call it being stupid." She had clearly chosen Donnie because she knew I would be listening, much like how she chose Mikey knowing word of it would be passed between Raph and Donnie before it got to me. Karai continues to gloat and taunt Donnie. Donnie at first tunes her out at least when she's telling him about how pathetic his feelings for April are. However instead of screaming or getting defensive…he tells her he's sorry for her. Karai also wasn't expecting this and wanted to know what he meant. And D just responds by saying "I'm sorry this is the sort of person the Shredder made you into."

"Man, how can anyone feel sorry for that bitch?" Casey growled.

"Karai is Splinter's daughter…" Leo reminded the human boy.

"I'm sorta with Casey on this one, Leo," Raph said. "She may be part of our family, but she was raised by the Shredder himself and all the insanity that comes with it. She had her chance to be with us, to be with what you consider her family, and she chose to go out for vengeance. And where did that get her? And there no way I will ever see her as a member of this family…not after what she did to Don and Mikey."

"She isn't evil..." Leo protested. "I know you don't like her Raph, but she is a victim in all this just as much as we are. "

"She's tainted Leo," Raph snarled back. "Even if she has a million of those brain worms crawling in her head, she has been taught to think and act the same as the shredder."

"That is one of the ways Donatello shows his strength, Raphael!" Splinter firmly said. "To show compassion to an opponent may not seem effective, but can leave an impact that can hurt as much as any punch. Your brother understands that Karai's mind is not her own. That is why he had been determined to help her despite what feelings he may harbor for her otherwise."

A tear trickled down Leo's face as he painfully recalled what happened next. "Tiger Claw came into the room and whipped Donnie, and not long after that was over Rahzar then entered the room and told Donnie the Shredder had chosen him for some purpose and he was taken way though not without a struggle. Rocksteady and Bebop then escorted me to see both Mikey, and Raph. When I was allowed to see Donnie, he looked more dead than alive. That was before they administered one of the mind worms."

"Whoa…" Raph exclaimed with horror. "Donnie was also brainwashed like I was."

"Yeah," Leo said as he grit his teeth. "And the only purpose for it was to put him in a death match against me. A match they didn't intend for him to survive."

"This event must have been troubling for you." Splinter stated sorrowfully. He had remembered the last time the worms had been inflicted upon his family; Raphael still had nightmares of having to fight his own brother.

"Troubling doesn't even begin to cover it," Leo said as sob rasping in his voice. "The fact they did that to him…just so…just so he could be forced to die by my hand."

"Let us speak no more of this, my son." Splinter said. "Get some sleep and prepare for the recovery ahead." Leo and Raph obeyed as they curled down to get the brief snatches of sleep that were available to them.

"Man! This is all beyond messed up!" Casey grumbled as he lay on his back gazing up at the roof of the Party Wagon. No one responded to his statement, however, because the sentiment was echoed by everyone around him.


	12. Chapter 12

The rest of the night passed slowly for the small family.

"AHHHHHHH! Nooooo!" Mikey screamed as he rolled back and forth on the floor waking majority of the other inhabitants of the small van."Nooo! Don't! Stay away!

"Calm down, little brother." Raph soothed as he carefully gathered Mikey into his arms.

"Raph?" Mikey asked. "Is that you? Please say it's you?"

"It's me." Raph answered with a smile.

"Oh that's good," Mikey said with a sigh of relief. "I had this horrible nightmare where one of the Foot Bots was ordered to peel off my face."

"Um Mikey…" Leo answered. "That wasn't a nightmare…that actually happened."

"WHAT?!" Mikey yelled as his hands when to bandages bound about his head. "NO NOT MY FACE, NOT MY CUTE FACE! Why couldn't they do this to Raph? It would have been an improvement!"

"It's alright Mikey," Leo responded as he moved closer to his youngest brother. "We'll get through this...Dr. Rockwell suggested skin grafts could help."

"I won't be the same…" Mikey sobbed as he lurched into his oldest brother's arms.

"It will be what it will be," Leo answered soothingly.

Casey rolled over onto his stomach as he looked at his phone, "It's 7:20 am." He said with a yawn as he stretched before getting out of the van. "I guess it's a good enough time for a two-hour drive upstate."

"Anything we need to get from the lair first?" April asked as she also sat up.

"I think we have everything needed," Raph pointed out. "Anything else we have at the farmhouse or can pick up on the way there."

"What about Donnie's chem set, he'd go nuts if he doesn't have anything to work on?" Casey pointed out as he climbed into the front cab with April. Leo sighed through his nose softly as he finally noticed that his second youngest brother hadn't regained consciousness. Mikey's eyes also fell upon Donnie with some concern.

Splinter gently placed the back of one hand against Donatello's burning forehead noting how high his son's temperature had risen.

"I believe Donatello will need to focus more on his recovery." The wise rat said. "A cool bath and bed rest should be in order."

"I getting a weird vibe that something with 'D' is majorly off." Mikey pointed out. "Kinda like his brain is scattered and doesn't know how to repair itself."

"That's probably just the fever," Raph said dismissively. "That wound on his arm was infected after all, though I wouldn't rule out a stress fever after what we've been through. He'll be back to normal before you know it."

"I hope you're right on that," Leo said as he crawled closer to Donatello's side.

"Alright, next stop O'Neil farmhouse, Northampton…" Casey said. "Though we will take a pit stop for breakfast somewhere."

"Let's just get to the Farmhouse get the Turtles settled." April sighed as they pulled out into the city streets and towards the freeway out of town. She sadly eyed her friends in the back of the party wagon. "I'll make some oatmeal once everyone is situated, something tells me that would easier on their stomachs than anything else."

* * *

The journey to the farmhouse was largely quiet. The silence was occasionally punctuated by a groan, hiss, growl, or whimper from one of the Turtles. Donatello's ninja gear had been stripped away by both Raph and Splinter. Leo was currently sitting beside Donnie's sleeping form his good hand holding one of his brothers in silent reassurance that he was safe and among loved ones. Almost in Mirror to the way Donnie had hovered in worry over Leo just months ago when they had last escaped the city.

Michelangelo was cradled against Splinter's side. He his eyes were closed, but he wasn't asleep. He was trying to draw strength from his father. Raph sat with the back of his shell against the back wall of the van, his ever-present scowl plastered across his face. He was angry that his family was hurt, angry at the Foot Clan for doing this to them, angry at the Shredder for willfully tormenting his family, angry at his family for choosing to run. Everything seemed ready to set him off. There wasn't much talk among the two humans as they traveled down the road making the two-hour car trip feel like an eternity.

Eventually, the familiar track to the O'Neil Farmhouse came into sight as they pulled into the drive. April got out first, retrieving from a strong box in the barn she opened the front door. Leo and Casey helped guide Michelangelo upstairs so his bandages could be changed while Raph then entered while Splinter came in cradling Donatello's feverish body in his arms.

"Donnie should be put in the tub," Leo said. "Raph, I'll need your help bathing him." Raph didn't give any response. If it was any other time he may have had given a cutting response, but now was not the time or place for disagreements.

"I will tend to Michelangelo's injuries." The wise master said as he walked upstairs. Turning into the bath room he placed his third son in the cast iron tub and left.

"I'll get some oatmeal started!" April called as she headed to the kitchen.

"Oatmeal? Blah!" Casey complained as he sauntered down out the door. "Couldn't you make some…you know real food? Like bacon and eggs? That's what real men eat."

"If you want eggs…" April said with a firmly as she held a skillet out to Casey. "The chicken coop is outside, perhaps you can fry some yourself."

"Nah…I'm going to town and going to 'The Celler'…I hear they have a wicked five egg ultra-meat omelet, called the 'Uber Meat'" Casey said as twirled the van keys on one finger. "Five eggs with a cheddar and jack, bacon, ham, seven kinds of sausage, with a side of fried potatoes and toast."

"Fine…" April said with a huff as she went back to the kitchen. "Enjoy your heart attack on a plate."

"Fine, I will…" Casey said as he sauntered to the door. He glanced up and noticed Raph watching from the second-floor landing. "Hey Raph, want me to bring back something? The Celler has takeout."

As much as Raph liked the idea of taking Casey up on his offer, his stomach roiled at the very thought of food.

"Sorry Case…" Raph answered. "I'm going to pass."

"Fine then…" Casey said as he stalked outside slamming the door behind him. "Enjoy your lame chick food."

* * *

Leo knelt by the tub and began to fiddle with the tap to get the water to decent temperature. Not cold, but not hot either. As the water slowly filled the basin Donnie at first remained dead to the world, but then his eyes shot open with a gasp of fright as he tried to scrabble out of the tub like a cat escaping the bath.

"Donnie!" Leo placated as he tried to push his brother back into the bath tub. "Donnie, it's all right!" Donatello, unfortunately, didn't hear him as he continued to panic and thrash about as he struggled to get out of the tub.

"Don, relax," Leo pleaded in his attempts to ease his brother's distress. "You'll only injure yourself further, you need to calm down." Raph at once rushed into the room; climbing into the tub he tackled Donatello holding him against his body. Donnie continued to struggle as he tried to escape his brother's firm embrace.

"I'm not letting ya go, Don!" Raph said firmly as he continued to keep hold of his immediate younger brother. "We're not in the city anymore. No one is here to hurt ya, trust me on that one."

* * *

Donnie continued to struggle in Raph's hold, but he slowly began to tire as he began to accept the arms holding him were not going to let go of him. As he continued to be held a familiar voice began to break through the fog of exhaustion that shrouded his brain. The voice speaking to him was oddly gentle and caring…while this particular tone wasn't unheard of, this voice was known for speaking in gruffer angrier tones, often punctuating statements with threats of physical harm or insults. Another voice also broke through the fog, this one was known to be caring and gentle, but as always there was still a firm hint of command behind it.

The arms around him loosened as they began to realize he wasn't going to struggle anymore. Something sponge-like was being dabbed along his shell cautiously as though they were taking great care to reassure him they didn't mean him any harm. When the sponge was taken away it was only to the arms holding him could turn him slightly so he found himself facing Leo. One arm was held in a sling while his other arm held a dripping yellow sponge. Glancing beside him he saw the person supporting him was Raph. Raph's normally hard green eyes had taken on a rare gentleness. Glancing about him, he found he was at the farm house, but he couldn't recall arriving there. The last thing he truly remembered was being carried out of the Shredder's lair by Slash, and then catching sight of what had been done to his baby brother. He had known something horrible had been done to Mikey, but to actually see it was more than he could emotionally handle. Such horror wasn't just criminal…it was inhuman his mind almost went blank as he rushed to his brother's side before Raph's arms wrapped around him. He could hear Raph trying to coach him away from the panic that was coursing its way through his body. But the restraint of Raph's arms only increased his panic, the last thing he remembered feeling was long boney fingers felt reaching towards his collar bone...and then darkness.

Raph held out one of Donatello's arms out to Leo so he could cleanse away the blood and broken skin. Leo's eyes looked sorrowful as they examined the large open wound there. It was clearly still infected though not as infected as it had been before. But the wound was still not going heal without leaving a massive scar. Speaking of scars, Leo was brushing his thumb over a papery-looking raised area of flesh, burn scar that was caused when Donnie had been grazed by Kraang blaster fire during their escape during the second invasion.

Oddly Donnie was feeling somewhat antsy about Leo as though he were certain Leo secretly intended to hurt him. But that wasn't right…Leo could be over bearing sometimes, but he didn't often get physical with his brothers about things.

"Here…" Raph said as he took the sponge from Leo's grasp. "I'll take care of Donnie…you go check up on Mikey. He'll need a brother right now."

"Right…" Leo said with a sigh through his nose as he got up and left the room. Donnie's anxiety hadn't lessened even after Leo's departure. But he did look less likely to bolt given the first chance. No words were exchanged between the two turtles as Raph cleansed Donatello's injuries until the water in the tub was tinged an orangey pink with dried blood. Pulling the stopper, Raph climbed out first before he hoisted Donnie out and wrapping him with a towel. He hugged his immediate younger brother close as he helped dry him off. A gesture that was also out of the norm for him since he wasn't one for open displays of brotherly affection, but it was something Raph felt Donnie needed right then.

* * *

Mikey's mouth opened to accept the spoon of oatmeal mush which he eagerly chewed and swallowed from where he sat propped in bed. His wounds had been cleaned and redressed. Leo dipped the spoon back into the bowl before feeding his youngest brother again. Another bowl of oatmeal sat cooling beside him. Two other bowls sat on a bedside table waiting for Raph and Donnie.

"You sure you don't need me to fix up another room," April asked as she finished putting sheets and blankets on the second bed in the room. "You guys might be more comfortable…"

"Thanks for the offer, April," Leo said with appreciation. "But we were kept apart during this past event…Shredder wanted us to learn that our weakness is in our unity, but I know he's wrong."

"Another thing my old friend, never understood." Splinter said. "The concept of Kokoro Itosuni…of one heart." Raph entered the room supporting Donatello who was quickly ushered to the other bed. Splinter at once set to work placing a healing salve on the open cuts that decorated Donatello's body before binding them with bandages.

"Individually, each of you are strong in your own way," Splinter continued as he added hydrogen peroxide to the wound on Donatello's arm letting the fluid cook away the infection as he wrapped clean linen bandages around the injury. "But you have been able to succeed in the battles you have faced because you are all of one heart and it's only together that you can find the strength to recover from this ordeal.

* * *

 **A/N- Hey everyone. Thank you to all the people who have been reading this fic thus far there is still much more to come. For anyone who is interested I am hoping to make audio versions of my fics and I'm looking for people to narrate and voice each of the cast. If you are interested please send me a PM regarding that.**

 **I am also looking for someone who would be willing to serve as a bata reader to help go over some of my fics such as hostage and others so they can be polished up.**

 **And turtles back on Nick Aug 14th at 11 :D**


	13. Chapter 13

"Hey, Leo, where will you be sleeping?" Raph asked as settled down in the bed beside Mikey. Mikey was half asleep and curled against his second oldest brother taking comfort from the closeness. Leo glanced over at the second bed where Donnie was laying. He had fallen back asleep not that long ago, his face turned away from his brothers.

"Either the couch downstairs or the floor here," Leo sighed as his gaze returned to the ground "I have a feeling, D, doesn't want me near him right now.".

"You didn't do anything to piss him off did you?" Raph asked accusatorially.

"Nothing like that…" Leo answered. "It's because…I don't know…I think it's something that might have to do with the brain worms."

His mind reeled back to the comments Donnie had said when he was under the influence of the worms.

 _"Don't talk to me as though you care about me! We both know I'm worthless and pathetic."_

 _"You've all thought it! You've probably wished I wasn't even your brother!"_

 _"Oh don't act so high and mighty. Don't think I don't know what you talk about behind my back."_

"The brain worms?" Raph asked as he sat up. He knew from experience how painful those disgusting maggots were as they tore through his ear canal.

"Yeah…unlike you or Karai," Leo continued. "Donnie was struggling to resist them and managed to break through on his own a few times. It was like they managed to find something to latch on to you in order to get you to turn…but with Donnie it was like they were forcing a baser emotion to so they could get a hold ."

Raph glanced at Donnie, then down towards the floor his scowl deepening.

"I remember one of those worms clawing through my brain," Raph admitted. "And then all I could remember were all the times the three of you made me angry. Of course among those were the moments I hated you because you were so much better than me at…well, everything. Everything I did, you did better. Compared to you I was always second best."

Leo quietly listened as Raph spoke. While he had understood a lot of Raph's anger and aggression stemmed from jealousy towards him and insecurities about his place in the family. It wasn't usual to hear Raph be so open about things like this.

"When you, Mikey and Donnie arrived to come to my rescue I was happy," Raph continued "But it felt like all the times I hated you were cranked up to eleven and all I wanted to do was see you in particular dead by my own hand. When you got me to cough up the worm, however, it's like all the anger I was feeling towards you at that moment was bringing forward just disappeared."

"Raph…you're a genius. I think you just figured something out for me." Leo stated as he looked up. "You, Karai, Slash, Rockwell. The one thing you all share is anger…"

"Huh?" Raph asked. Mikey also opened his eyes as he listened curiously to his brothers.

"Think about it, your anger partly comes from jealousy," Leo pointed out. "Karai's anger comes from pain caused by what has been taken from her and from all the crap, the Shredder has drummed into her head ever since she had been an infant. Slash's anger and hostility, no offense, is influenced by living as your pet for years."

"Yeah dude," Mikey agreed. "You may have been talking out of your shell, but Spike could have thought you were being serious." Raph gave a sour expression at his youngest brother but didn't argue.

"So where does that leave Rockwell?" Raph asked. "Aside from being mutated into a chimp, he's fairly easy going. That is unless he's picking intellectual pissing contests with Donnie."

"Duh, he's psychic," Mikey said.

"Sort of…" Leo pointed out. "Yes he's psychic, but his initial psychic powers centered on empathy. So he reacted and responded to any emotion around him. Such as attacking Donnie back when we first met Rockwell. Donnie may have only been protecting April, but Rockwell sensed the hostility and responded with it."

"That and the fact that Don and April had just left Falco's office," Raph added. "As far as Rockwell knew they could have been working for Falco."

"But still, you see..." Leo continued. "Each of you was able to be influenced by the brain worms because of your anger. Donnie, on the other hand, has been known to have a fierce temper, but his anger isn't a defining trait of his personality. So in order to get him to the mindset they wanted they needed to force him into the mindset where they can gain a hold. Such as…"

"Such as screwing up his memories," Raph completed. "When we were in the tub, it was like he didn't even know either of us…well rather he knew 'us', but more like a different version of us."

"Exactly…the panic he expressed in the tub may have been part of what was done with him before he was whipped." Leo said. "Because I could hear water gushing before I heard the first strike. At times when in the past a prisoner would be doused with ice water because it caused the skin to tighten and thus made the beatings hurt more. Perhaps like you the worms also may have taken all the times you…me…maybe all three of us have teased him, or generally given him a hard time and made those memories appear worse than they actually are."

Mikey looked over at Donnie's sleeping form and whimpered at the thought of what his genius older brother just endured. And if what Raph and Leo said was true, did that mean Donnie wouldn't remember him either. What did that mean for them? After being tortured physically, mentally, and even emotionally he wasn't even sure the Donnie he knew was there anymore.

* * *

April sighed as she put the last of the dishes away. All the Turtles were resting upstairs and they were safe, but she couldn't shake the feeling something was bugging her. Donnie had barely touched his oatmeal when Splinter was done tending to his injuries. He at first had been hesitant about eating it and had to be convinced that it wasn't poisoned or rancid before he dared to take a single bite. And even then he only ate two partial spoon fulls of the oatmeal before he put it down and curled into a ball and went back to sleep again.

She wasn't offended by all this after all they were dealing with the shock and distress of all that happened. It was only natural some of them would have a harder time getting back to themselves than others. And yet she couldn't shake the feeling something was completely off about Donnie. She knew she wasn't the only one who had sensed it as Mikey had also stated he felt something off and while Splinter wasn't vocal about it, she knew that Splinter could sense it as well.

The sound of the door open made her close her eyes in irritation. She could fill her teeth grind together as she heard Casey's voice and footsteps approach the kitchen.

"Hey Red," Casey stated as he entered the kitchen.

"How was your Uber-mensch Omelet?" April asked somewhat coldly as she put a water kettle onto the stove before trying to find the tea, hoping a little chamomile would sooth her nerves.

"The uber-meat…It wasn't as good as I expected…." Casey said glumly. April's eye twitched in irritation, she knew that he wasn't actually disappointed he was only ramping up for a crow.

"It was the biggest, meatiest, wickedest omelet ever!" Casey enthusiastically said.

"I'm so glad you enjoyed your breakfast." April sniped with a bite of irritation in her voice.

"You should have joined me so you could have seen it for yourself," Casey stated. "You would have said 'I don't know, Casey. That looks a bit too big for any normal person to eat.' And I woulda said 'Hey, Casey Jones ain't a normal person.' And then you woulda said…"

"Okay Casey, I get it. You can shut up now!" April nearly shouted.

"Whoa…" Casey became surprised. "Where's all this hostility coming from?"

"Hostile? Oh, I'm not being hostile," April seethed. "I'm just irritated that Raph and his brothers just went through the worst day in their lives and all you care about is getting a stupid egg dish."

"Hey, I care!" Casey insisted. "But the guys have been hurt before, they'll be back on their feet again."

"Not like this Casey," April said. "I'm worried…I'm worried Donnie might do the same thing he did the last time we were here…when Leo had been injured."

At the sound of his rival's name Casey grit his teeth. He didn't want to jump to conclusions, but time and again he had noticed an almost budding infatuation between April and Donatello. He had noticed it ever since the guys had been plagued by the Dream Beavers…no earlier than that. He remembered glancing out of the window of the room he shared with Raph and Mikey…though it was just him and Mikey now that Leo was awake. April was outside chopping wood in the early morning, Casey just couldn't help watching her slender but well-muscled arms heft the heavy ax and bring it down splitting the log in two. Then Donnie came up to her as though something was on his mind. Casey couldn't hear what was being said between them as they talked. But when April stood up on her toes and planted a kiss on the gap-toothed turtle's lips he found himself punching a pillow until all the goose down came flying out of it. He tried not to let it get to him; perhaps he was reading things wrong. That had to have been it; maybe the kiss was nothing after all Donnie didn't seem to expect it nor had shown any elation. If anything he seemed more confused than he had been before.

Then during the whole Dream Beavers event, the way April almost lovingly held him against her and the way she panicked when Donnie had stopped breathing. Those behaviors were not something Casey had ever experienced from the Redhead. A friendly hug every once in a while perhaps enjoying a day on the town or at the movies, but beyond that was always something guarded about her. Something she never expressed around the Turtles, perhaps it was due to how well she knew them. But it still pissed him off that there were things April could trust and confide in with Donnie and the other Turtles, and yet couldn't trust him in the same way.

"You like him, don't you?" Casey said with a bitter tone. "I saw you kiss him when we were here months ago. You think I don't see how you act around him? It's time I knew the truth, what am I to you…some play thing that you feel you can string along when it suits your needs?!"

"What do you even want from me, Casey?!" April demanded. "I like the both of you…"

"That's not saying much…" Casey said.

"Honestly, Casey," April nearly screamed. "Having a boyfriend is the furthest thing from my mind. Yes, I have kissed Donnie…a few times. But that has generally been as appreciation for all he's done for me."

"And…what about me?!" Casey nearly yelled back. "I've done things for you too, Red! Why aren't you kissing me with appreciation?"

"I might consider doing so…" April growled as she stormed out of the kitchen. "Once you grow up and realize I'm not a prize to be won!"


End file.
